Councillors
responded today to comments by Jacob Rees-Mogg MP that UNICEF was ‘playing
politics’ by funding an initiative to deliver Breakfast Boxes to children in
the most deprived parts of Southwark via the organisation School Food Matters.
The scheme is part of a wider push by Southwark Council to eradicate child food
poverty in the borough, which includes: universal free school meals for every
nursery child and primary school pupil, running a holiday food and activities
programme in partnership with Lambeth during the school holidays, and funding
multiple food banks in the area.
According
to the Trussell Trust, food bank use in the UK has increased by 74% over the
past five years under the current Conservative government. This funding from
UNICEF represents the first time in the charity’s 70-year history that they
have developed a UK domestic emergency response.
Cllr
Jasmine Ali, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Schools said:
‘It’s
a complete disgrace that Jacob Ree-Mogg has called feeding hungry children
during the pandemic a “political stunt”. Southwark has done all it can to keep
children out of food poverty, including standing by our flagship policy of
universal free school meals despite severe funding cuts from the government,
and funding free school meals during the October half term when the
Conservatives cruelly voted against it. There is no such thing as too much
effort when tackling child food poverty is concerned -- which is why we are
grateful to UNICEF for funding the project School Food Matters in our borough.’
Cllr
Kieron Williams, Leader of the Council, said:
‘It
is outrageous, when the Conservatives are driving austerity and creating the
conditions where child food poverty is rife, to then criticise the voluntary
sector when they step in to support children. The government have failed to
stop children from going hungry, and yet again local authorities and charities
are having to fill the gap – to criticise us for doing so is a new low’.