British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday criticized the ‘disgraceful’ free school meal packages sent to British families in need during the nationwide lockdown, saying he was working with the company that provided the meals to rectify the situation. His comments come after Manchester United superstar Marcus Rashford shared photos of the meager food parcels earlier this week.
Rashford, who fought child hunger in the UK during the pandemic, stressed on Monday the quality of meals families receive. To a Twitter user posted a photo two carrots, a loaf of sliced bread, three apples, two bananas and a few other items – supplies they said were meant to feed a family for ten days – the 23-year-old quoted the photo as saying isunacceptable. “
In another post, Rashford said the meals “just aren’t good enough.”
“Imagine that we will teach the children to learn at home. Not to mention the parents who sometimes have to teach them who probably did not eat at all, so that their children can … We MUST do better. It is 2021, ‘he wrote.
The tweets showing the meals received online criticism, prompting Chartwells, a free school meal business, to apologize on Wednesday.
Rashford also told his Twitter fans on Wednesday that he had a conversation with the prime minister, which “assured” Rashford that he would look into “correcting the issue”. Johnson also tweeted that the company had agreed to “compensate those affected.”
“I totally agree with you, Marcus Rashford. These food parcels do not meet the standards we set out, and we have made it clear to the company concerned that it is shameful,” he said.
Yet, Rashford, who as a child was dependent on the free school meal program, insisted on an exam of the system as a whole.
“Our eyes are open. Now is the time for a full review of the Free School Meal system,” he said.
According to the BBC, the packets are supposed to contain food products that parents can prepare for healthy lunch for five days, and that children of all ages can be eligible if they live in households that receive income benefits.