ANAS Sarwar has been urged to confront the UK Government over planned benefits cuts as one million children could lose free school meals without intervention.
Since 2018, there have been protections for existing claimants to continue to receive free school meals while universal credit is rolled out.
But that is set to change from next month according to The Times, with internal UK Government estimates suggesting that a million children in the UK could lose their free school meals entitlement over the next five years.
Scottish Labour have previously been vocal about the issue in Scotland, hitting out at the Scottish Government in September last year for dropping their manifesto commitment to rolling out free school meals to all primary school pupils.
Although, Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes (below) said the SNP was "standing by" the commitment and would be extended to those in P6 and P7 “when additional funding becomes available”.
In a Holyrood debate on the issue calling for the policy’s reinstatement, Sarwar’s party criticised the SNP’s “repeated broken promises to Scotland’s children and young people”.
But now, he has been accused of “hypocrisy” and urged to call out the UK Government as well.
“The hypocrisy of the Labour Party taking the axe to free school meals in England is astounding,” SNP MSP Jackie Dunbar told The National.
“Despite the Labour cuts coming down the track, the SNP Government continues to work towards the ambitious goal of universal free school meal provision – providing them to all pupils in primary one to five, as well as those in P6 and P7 who receive the Scottish Child Payment.
“The SNP is determined that no child in Scotland grows up in poverty, and we know that when decisions are made in Scotland our most vulnerable families are better supported.
She then added: “While the SNP remains clear on our values, Anas Sarwar must confirm whether he will back these brutal Labour cuts – is this another instance of party before country?”
The Scottish Greens also called on Sarwar to make a stand.
MSP Maggie Chapman said: “No child should be hungry at school. Free school meals are a key part of reducing child poverty and supporting families. They should be extended to all children, not cut back to give extra money to the military.”
She added: “If Labour takes food away from hungry children it will not be forgotten.
“Scottish Labour has rightly condemned the SNP’s move away from universal free school meals - a policy that had been secured by the Scottish Greens - and I hope they will be just as strong in standing up to their own Westminster leadership.
“Labour has spent the last few weeks spreading fear and anxiety and threatening to cut beyond anything the Tories ever managed. This isn’t the change that Scotland waited 14 years for, and surely can’t be the legacy that Keir Starmer and his colleagues want.”
Scottish Labour have been approached for comment.
