Tory Mieka Smiles says Rachel Reeves and Bridget Phillison don't seem to know which way is up (Image: Getty)
They say there’s no such thing as a free lunch. Well, earlier this week it was looking like there most definitely wouldn’t be for millions of infant school kids up and down the country. Just as Chancellor Rachel Reeves was planning to stick on her dinner lady apron to serve up free breakfasts to an entire nation of schoolkids, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson was said to have somewhat contradictory plans.
It was reported yesterday by The Times that Phillipson is looking to ditch universal free school meals that are currently in place for all children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2. I am well acquainted with the scheme as not too long ago my children were the recipients of them.
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The pair are this week digging themselves a hole over free school meals (Image: Getty)
Instead Phillipson is apparently considering means testing them - so only the children who need them get them. Well, thank God for that!
After her attempt to start a class war over Labour's handling of private schools, she’s not a woman I have found any common ground with since her over-promotion into her current post. But it seems as though - despite it being a bloody nigh impossible political sell - she’s, for once, taking a common sense approach to the public purse. I have never understood why all children are receiving school dinners when many of their parents could - and most probably happily would - pay for them themselves.
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I am of the firm opinion that when needed, the state should act as a safety net - and that belief runs even deeper when it comes to children. But this weird need to feed all children via the state - whilst I’m sure wasting a tonne of taxpayer money on administering such schemes - points to what is wrong with Labour’s natural tendency to nanny. The party's universal free breakfasts for children is case in point.
The teeth brushing in class is another wholly odd policy. These are simple tasks for parents to carry out and support children to do themselves. Not something to saddle teachers with on top of all of the other box-ticking rubbish that gets in the way of actual learning.
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However, Phillipson's supposed bright idea cannot have impressed wannabe stern headteacher Reeves who has run a mile from the apparent plan, quickly stating that she doesn’t “recognise” the suggested idea whilst pointing to the free breakfasts she has lined up for all primary school children.
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I mean if this debacle isn't evidence that the pair of them don't know up from down, then I don’t know what is. If they can’t even pull together the ingredients to write an easy to follow recipe for Labour's policy on free food, then what hope do they have at running the country?
It currently looks like too many cooks are spoiling the policy broth over at Labour HQ - and I think that’s very concerning when you’re not talking pocket-money chip scraps. The free universal school breakfasts are estimated to cost a minimum of ￡315m a year whilst Phillipson's potential cost-cutting measures could save ￡500m from her department’s coffers.
Labour is vowing to serve up a better deal for children but - in my estimation at least - this half-baked approach really is a dog’s dinner.