Let Them Eat...?

[allenlondon]

MPs rejected the plea for free school meals to be given during holidays.

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2020/oct/21/marcus-rashford-in-despair-as-mps-reject-free-school-meal-plan

Should be very good news for all the Answerbanks who think poor families spend too much on smoking, gambling, etc, so should get NO more handouts!

Let them eat cake! Or nothing.

Charles Dickens would not believe it.


A

[ToraToraTora]

"Yes, and you readily call anyone who disagrees with your view of Britishness, anti-British. " - not true, it's not disagreeing per se that caused me to label people anti British it is the fundamental stand point the person takes. Eg if they'd prefer the country to be run by unelected foreign civil servants than our own, elected leaders then how can that logically be anything other than anti British? To me that's an absolute not an opinion.

[Peter Pedant]

are we saying that feeding kids who go hungry
is unBritish
because in the good old days of Empire
we enslaved beat starved and roped well the whole world
until they were saved by America and Russia

well if we do I must be unBritish then

[Peter Pedant]

// TTT calls a spade a spade. I enjoy his posts.//
yeah foo
like he refers to Europe as the EUSSR
and United States as 'septic'
and I have no idea what he wd call a spade

I dont enjoy his posts. But I read them because I am roman catholic

[Mozz71]

//are we saying that feeding kids who go hungry
is unBritish//

In fairness, I don't think Tora is saying that at all. I think he's hinting that any remainers, or those who voted for a party who weren't pro-Brexit are unBritish.

[ToraToraTora]

I was just responding to the assertion that I label anyone who disagrees with me as anti British, that's not the case.
On the subject of the OP, feeding the kids is down to the parents, no one is starving in this country unless they choose to be, end of.

[ToraToraTora]

also mozz I can't see how you can label me an anti Gulliver, all he does is throw grenades and leave, never debates, never reasons, never explains, never posts a link never responds to requests for further information. You may not agree with me very often but I hope you'd agree I am nothing like gulliver.

[jim360]

If it's down to the parents, and the parents are failing, how are the children "choosing" to starve?

Also, why does it even matter *why* the parents are failing? Be it their own neglect, or be it because, actually, you're completely wrong about the idea that nobody in this country is in a position where they actually face going hungry -- the fact is that, either way, some children are in a position of needing support. We shouldn't judge. We should just help.

[ToraToraTora]

don't be obtuse jim, you know what I mean. Ok I'll spell it out if I must. The children are not choosing their parents are through bad choices. All they have to do is move food to the top of their priorities ahead of fags, booze, latest Iphone, Tattoos, body piercing 60 inch plasma, takeaways etc

[ToraToraTora]

I am one of six children we were on benefits most of the time, we never starved. Mum used to get creative, eg she'd feed us all with a pie made from a pound of mince. I had my first takeaway when I was 14.

[jim360]

Congratulations to your mum, but it still doesn't address the point, does it?

The ones who suffer by blaming the parents are the children. Therefore, we shouldn't care whether the parents are at fault or not.

[ToraToraTora]

why should the feckless few get more than the millions that live within their means?

[lankeela]

I have a neighbour, young single mum in rented accommodation, sits crosslegged in her doorway several times a day smoking while her young lad eats a pack of crisps. No idea what else she gives him but I bet she will be collecting the free meals being offered in our town to all children. My mum worked three cleaning jobs when I was at school to keep me not only in food but in clothes and a caravan holiday once a year. We never went without and never claimed a penny in benefits. I wonder how many play stations will be sold this Christmas?

[jim360]

Why should people who struggle to feed their children be automatically judged as feckless?

It may be comforting to believe that there's no such thing as genuine hardship in the UK any more, but it's only a comfort as opposed to a truth.

[Gill1941]

Have not read all the posts far too long. Just thought I'd say that a local independent cafe is giving free meals to children who are entitled to free school dinners.
Just jacket potatoes with basic fillings but all nourishing food. She is a lovely lady and doing this despite losing a lot of income during lockdown. Pity larger companies cannot do the same.

[naomi24]

//The ones who suffer by blaming the parents are the children. Therefore, we shouldn't care whether the parents are at fault or not.//

Of course we should care if the parents are at fault… and that should be addressed - and yes, as unpalatable as it may be, many are feckless. We shouldn’t allow the fit and healthy who have made benefits their lifestyle to milk society indefinitely. That was never the purpose of the Welfare State. Perhaps giving a proportion of benefits in food vouchers would be a better idea…. but then I suppose some would sell them for cash which wouldn’t be spent on the children anyway.

[Apc2604]

Agree Naomi.

[jim360]

Perhaps I should be clearer: we shouldn't care in terms of judging whether or not to help the children in question. We should obviously care in terms of trying to get the parents in a position, and if necessary mentality, to be able to help themselves.

I also don't deny the existence of irresponsible parents. I just don't think the State should be discouraged by their existence in terms of offering help. The Welfare State isn't meant to be a moral judgement. It's meant to help those in need, regardless of why.

[naomi24]

Jim, // It's [the Welfare State] meant to help those in need, regardless of why.//

Regardless of why? Okay, let’s assume I don’t want to work because I’d rather get up late and stay at home watching television all day. Are you happy for your taxes to fund my chosen lifestyle?

[jim360]

As a further point, you can't even defend the government's approach on grounds of cost: the Government's defence is actually that it's providing the support in other ways, including an increase in Universal Credit and an increase in Council funding. Ironically, both of these are less well-targeted than the free meals support, which would come best in the form of food vouchers, would be.

[naomi24]

I haven’t defended the Government’s approach.