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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Politics
Lizzy Buchan

Reward Marcus Rashford by giving more kids free school meals, Rishi Sunak told

Rishi Sunak has been urged to reward Marcus Rashford for his World Cup heroics - by extending free school meals to more hungry children.

The England star, who shamed the Tories into feeding needy kids in the holidays during the pandemic, has previously campaigned to widen eligibility for the scheme.

Liberal Democrat MP Munira Wilson urged Mr Sunak to accept mounting calls to offer school dinners to more pupils.

Around 800,000 kids living in poverty in England miss out on free school lunches due to strict eligibility rules, according to research by the Child Poverty Action Group.

The Mirror and the National Education Union are campaigning for free school meals for all primary school pupils in England.

Speaking during PMQs clash, Ms Wilson said: "I'm sure [Tory MPs] felt a certain sense of deja vu watching the Welsh defence during last night's match.

"After all they know what it feels like to have Marcus Rashford run rings around them.

"Off the pitch, Marcus Rashford has been a tireless campaigner on child hunger - in the face of fierce Conservative opposition.

"So given that he delivered on the pitch last night, will the PM give him the best thanks possible by delivering free school meals for every child living in poverty."

The Prime Minister rebuffed her calls to expand the scheme and said that nearly 2 million children receive free school meals under the current rules.

He also pointed to holiday support and the Government's efforts to expand breakfast clubs.

All children in England can get free school meals up to the end of Year 2 but after that it only applies to households on certain benefits.

Pupils living in Universal Credit families are eligible if their parents earn less than £7,400-a-year from work.

Recent research found expanding the free school meals scheme could pump up to £41.3bn into the economy over 20 years.

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