The Lemon Fool

Probably a little late for them to do anything constructive or positive now.

I am a don't know, I don't know enough about any other support that the gov claims to be handing out.

I do think it's not a fair fight, a well known celeb on one side with the best of intentions and a worthy cause fighting a single issue, versus the government fighting a pandemic amongst other things who would probably love to fund loads of things if they could.

Should the government offer free school meals?

Why are they being referred to as "school meals" if the children are not at school. Am I missing something?

It’s not whether “the government” should, it’s whether the taxpayer should. From me, that’s a yes.
I would go farther, I’d say provide free university tuition, along with a means-tested subsistence grant.

fisher wrote:Why are they being referred to as "school meals" if the children are not at school. Am I missing something?

Probably because the meals will be provided via the same route as 'school meals' whether that be by voucher or actual food and by the same qualification.

RC

The govt will U turn cause of the media pressure but this is just another example of what's going on. In the town I live the twitterati SJWs have put teddy bears and placards outside the Tory office cause how the evil tories are starving children. The anti govt media campaigns are endless at the moment and part of a shift to the left I've seen past few years. The media will only be satisfied when the country has a socialist government which is what i think could happen next election.

Adamski wrote:SJWs

?

ReformedCharacter wrote:

fisher wrote:Why are they being referred to as "school meals" if the children are not at school. Am I missing something?

Probably because the meals will be provided via the same route as 'school meals' whether that be by voucher or actual food and by the same qualification.

RC

Thanks.

I guess there's also a political bent to it. Calling them free school meals in holiday time implies they are being deprived of something they are entitled to rather than something extra that is being called for.

dealtn wrote:

Adamski wrote:SJWs

?

Social Justice Warriors AKA middle class busybodies virtue-signalling their wokeness. Or:

"An annoying person who tells other people what to do, while hiding behind the false pretense that they are protecting some vulnerable person or group."

https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=SJW

I remember things called parents, they had a responsibility to feed you.

Now it's the States problem and the tax payer. If you are going to pay school meals why not uniforms. Then they will need taxis to collect. Tampons, toys at Christmas the list can keep being pushed and when the first domino falls it's only a matter of time.

What about pool poverty. I think the government should install swimming pools on my estate as I am one of the pool less people on the estate and its not fair.

I suppose you could argue that by feeding the kids means you need less in benefits so a couple of packets of fags less a week, so health benefits for both.

OK I'm taking liberties and lots said in jest but it's starting to head towards a state controlled environment and when it gets too expensive will we start getting one child policies forced on us.

Err no.
Parents should.
Am I missing something here?

Is it wrong for parents to spend benefits on alcohol,fags, sky?

anniesdad wrote:Is it wrong for parents to spend benefits on alcohol,fags, sky?

If they do that and then turn around and ask for higher benefits because they claim they cannot afford to feed their kids, then yes it is wrong.

I'd love to see an analysis of the number of homes on welfare that spend money on such items, or have expensive smartphone or Sky/Virgin media packages.

"Should Government Offer Free School Meals During the Holiday"

Of course they should. And why limit it to children? Food is a human right. Everyone should get free food. Why on earth not?

Mike4 wrote:"Should Government Offer Free School Meals During the Holiday"

Of course they should. And why limit it to children? Food is a human right. Everyone should get free food. Why on earth not?

Just because you have a right to something does not imply that it should be free.

Food, water, housing, heating, electricity, transport, healthcare and many other things are claimed as rights, but you still have to pay for most or all of them.

Lootman wrote:

Mike4 wrote:"Should Government Offer Free School Meals During the Holiday"

Of course they should. And why limit it to children? Food is a human right. Everyone should get free food. Why on earth not?

Just because you have a right to something does not imply that it should be free.

Food, water, housing, heating, electricity, transport, healthcare and many other things are claimed as rights, but you still have to pay for most or all of them.

Had you there a treat, lol!!!

Mike4 wrote:

Lootman wrote:

Mike4 wrote:"Should Government Offer Free School Meals During the Holiday"

Of course they should. And why limit it to children? Food is a human right. Everyone should get free food. Why on earth not?

Just because you have a right to something does not imply that it should be free.

Food, water, housing, heating, electricity, transport, healthcare and many other things are claimed as rights, but you still have to pay for most or all of them.

Had you there a treat, lol!!!

Not really, I figured nobody could be that dumb, but there are some who advocate free everything for everyone, so it does no harm to doubly slap that down.

The cynic in me thinks that free school meals frees up more money for scratch cards, cigarettes and booze. Are children really going hungry through lack of money or is it because parents are unable to budget choosing to spend benefit money on other things? Is it really the government's responsibility to feed children or is it the parents?

But of course I can recall a time when I managed to get to the Senior Secondary school having passed my qualifying exams at 11 plus or something like that and receiving a packet of large banknotes of £50 each which of course I gave to my mother. This was a grant to me because my parents would not otherwise be able to support me. The SS school meant I was committing myself to school well beyond the compulsory age of 14 or 15 (I forget the details)

So this sort of thing is not exactly new. I disagree with free school meals however because I think it will be demeaning for the kids and no doubt the majority of parents could, if they had a mind to, feed their children anyway.

It is a bit like food banks. Great if you can get it but otherwise I would just need to 'get by'.

Dod

Mike88 wrote:The cynic in me thinks that free school meals frees up more money for scratch cards, cigarettes and booze. Are children really going hungry through lack of money or is it because parents are unable to budget choosing to spend benefit money on other things? Is it really the government's responsibility to feed children or is it the parents?

I don't remember such questions being asked - particularly not amongst the wealthy denizens of TLF - when we had "eat out to help out" which largely helped the middle classes who had money to spend.
We haven't raised all these pseudo moral issues during other financial interventions with the exception of disagreements here concerning Tesco paying its dividend.

If we can afford to give a subsidy to the middle classes and plough billions into businesses, why can't we raise a relatively small sum to help in what is clearly an urgent and real need? Not only that, I see it as just as valid way of stimulating the economy as these other interventions. The only difference is that we are helping the poor instead of the middle classes - but it's still benefitting everyone in the economy, particularly those in low paid jobs in the catering industry who are also struggling. In that sense, it is a no brainer - there are so many winners, yes: even the moaning middle benefit indirectly.

People who object do seem to be on the wrong side of the argument, and letting their class prejudice show.

PS Mike88 this not all aimed at you, but your post just sparked a series of thoughts

Arb.