Levelling up agenda

[BillyStubbsTears]

Going well int it?

10 months into on-line learning, the thick end of a million kids still have no laptops or adequate broadband.

And the party that scoffed that Marcus Rashford was "virtue signalling" over his support for free school meals (yep, one of the fat f**kers on the Tory back benches used precisely those words) is giving a private company £30 quid a week to provide the following food for a kid's meals.

1 Loaf bread,
3 bananas,
2 apples,
2 pears,
3 potatoes,
HALF a tomato,
quarter cucumber,
tin of beans,
tin of soup,
individual butter and cheese servings.
& half a carrot.

The Govt decided not to give the parents food vouchers because this was seen as a more efficient way of managing the process...

But hey! Let's not criticise the Govt, right. Because that is biased.

[River Don]

I'd be surprised if Aldi would charge a fiver for that shopping list. Half a tomato is really taking the piss.

[bpoolrover]

Some of the parcels are a disgrace and it needs sorting, if they were given decent food parcels like they should I think it’s a far better idea than vouchers as you would be making sure they had decent food

[drfchound]

I saw on the news that a reporter bought the same unbranded food for around eight quid.

[wilts rover]

Food parcel delivered to kids in Finland v food parcel deliverd to kids in England

https://twitter.com/DavidLammy/status/1348962945657675776

[bpoolrover]

Not even convinced there is a fivers worth of food there

[Filo]

Owner of the Company outsourced to deliver this is a Tory Party donor, fancy that eh?

[wilts rover]

And in Wales:

It started with five micro meals, five fruit plus salad, yoghurt and desserts for each child.

"In December, we had waffles, chips, meat, fruit, vegetables, the usual five meals with salad and fruit per child plus a cracker and a selection box.

"Currently we are receiving 10 day hampers which include frozen veg, fresh veg, fresh salad, fresh potatoes, five frozen meals, frozen chips, chicken nuggets, block of cheese, five frozen desserts, fresh fruit, fish fingers and rice

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/stark-contrast-between-free-school-23306723?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=sharebar

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

Is it not the schools and local authorities who decide the provider not the government?

The packages are shocking but I don't think its the government that procure them.

[River Don]

Aldi prices

Loaf white bread 45p
Baked beans 29p
Chicken and veg soup 31p
3 X bananas 39p
2 X apples 20p
2 X pears 24p
FULL vine tomato 19p
FULL cucumber 43p
BAG of carrots 41p

Aldi don't sell individual tomatoes, apples or pears but that is the price based on the cost of individual items taken from a bag. I thought I'd treat them to a full tomato and cucumber and chucked in the entire bag of carrots.

Total: £2.89

Aldi don't do individual portions of cheese and butter so have the full portion.

FULL BLOCK of cheddar £1.79
FULL Tub beautifully buttery 69p

Grand Total: £ 5.37

Edit: sorry maths went awry there.

[albie]

Whoever accepted £30 per box payment and then came up with this level of provision should be jailed.

This is fraud against the public purse, and targets the most vulnerable, at the time they need help most, and will result in nutritional deficit for children.

Of all the outrages so far imposed, this is beyond the pale.
No reasonable person could defend this!

[BillyStubbsTears]

Point of fact correction. The company in question says they only (sic) charged the Govt £10.55 for that box.

Which raises two further points.

1) They are taking more in their own costs than the food is worth. And apparently their USP in their pitch to the Govt was that they could provide a better service than giving food vouchers directly to parents...

2) The figure widely quoted last autumn for the cost of FSM was £20 per week per pupil. So why is the Govt signing a contract to serve up this rubbish for £10?

The economic cost is trivial in the big scheme of things. But the nutritional hit and the sheer shame of being served up that crap is incalculable.

And here is the REALLY stupid thing for the Govt. The PR hit that they take on this far outweighs any possible other political advantage.

Cruel and stupid isn't a very good tag line for a Govt.

[SydneyRover]

Don't forget these carpetbaggers are buying at wholesale prices.

[Donnywolf]

Dont forget Johnson has looked into it (no doubt) and has said its ok - lets move on

Well done Marcus Rashford that rarity in my life a Man U player I like (Harry Gregg was the other) - for keeping this in the spotlight. If we ose 1-0 at Old Trafford in the 98th minute I would like him to be the scorer

Levelling up is like Build Build Build - Platitudes both of them but crucially easy for the Ministers etc to remember and get into every answer whether relevant or not

[SydneyRover]

I'm guessing the sample boxes supplied to Vicky Ford for sign off must have looked somewhat different.

[Filo]

I'm guessing the sample boxes supplied to Vicky Ford for sign off must have looked somewhat different.

Similar to the centre plate samples we were served at the KM, but never made it on to the concourse

[Axholme Lion]

Maybe people should feed their own kids. If they can't afford to do that then they should keep it in their trousers.

[ravenrover]

Circumstances change AL don't tar everyone with the same brush

[redwine]

Circumstances change AL don't tar everyone with the same brush

Totally agree but in AL's world everything is black and white.

You can be a moment away from life changing circumstances.

[Axholme Lion]

Circumstances change AL don't tar everyone with the same brush

Of course they do. I accept people who fall on hard times need help. I'm referring to the usual suspects who have never done a stroke in their lives. We all know who they are.

[wilts rover]

Is it not the schools and local authorities who decide the provider not the government?

The packages are shocking but I don't think its the government that procure them.

They are the same providers who run the school canteens - so yes, they will have won a contract out to tender.

When they provide meals at school this is done to a menu worked up in consulation with the school. However as you can read elsewhere - these 'hampers' they have provided are done to government specifications.

[wilts rover]

Circumstances change AL don't tar everyone with the same brush

Of course they do. I accept people who fall on hard times need help. I'm referring to the usual suspects who have never done a stroke in their lives. We all know who they are.

Well with them being kids in school it will be difficult for them to do a days work - or are you not bothered about hungry children?

[Ldr]

Kids shouldn't suffer because they have wasters for parents

[wilts rover]

There were 5.7 million people on Universal Credit in October. 2.2 million (39%) were employed

https://twitter.com/PippaCrerar/status/1349396616902545411

[Axholme Lion]

Kids shouldn't suffer because they have wasters for parents

We are breeding another generation on the benefits gravy train, when will it end?
We are massively over populated and there must be a solution. IMO Eugenics is the answer.

[Glyn_Wigley]

Kids shouldn't suffer because they have wasters for parents

We are breeding another generation on the benefits gravy train, when will it end?
We are massively over populated and there must be a solution. IMO Eugenics is the answer.

Eugenics doesn't reduce population so it'd be interesting to find out what you think it's the solution to.

[Ldr]

Kids shouldn't suffer because they have wasters for parents

We are breeding another generation on the benefits gravy train, when will it end?
We are massively over populated and there must be a solution. IMO Eugenics is the answer.

Eugenics doesn't reduce population so it'd be interesting to find out what you think it's the solution to.

it sounds very "final"

[Axholme Lion]

Kids shouldn't suffer because they have wasters for parents

We are breeding another generation on the benefits gravy train, when will it end?
We are massively over populated and there must be a solution. IMO Eugenics is the answer.

Eugenics doesn't reduce population so it'd be interesting to find out what you think it's the solution to.

It's the solution to getting rid of the ranks of the feral underclass of scum that are breeding at an alarming rate. I don't expect much support on here because many won't face up to reality.

[River Don]

Whether you think this underclass are scum or not, they aren't breeding at an alarming rate.

The only reason the UK population isn't falling is immigration, which remains at high levels.

[Glyn_Wigley]

Kids shouldn't suffer because they have wasters for parents

We are breeding another generation on the benefits gravy train, when will it end?
We are massively over populated and there must be a solution. IMO Eugenics is the answer.

Eugenics doesn't reduce population so it'd be interesting to find out what you think it's the solution to.

It's the solution to getting rid of the ranks of the feral underclass of scum that are breeding at an alarming rate. I don't expect much support on here because many won't face up to reality.

How does eugenics do that? If you're going to advocate something as a solution to a problem, understanding what it is you're advocating might be useful, no?

The only way eugenics would reduce population would be to breed people who are infertile and who then pass that trait on to their children. Oh, wait a moment...