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Almost 900,000 people sign petition to stop taxpayers from paying for MPs’ meals
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Almost 900,000 people have signed a petition calling for MPs’ meals to stop being subsidised by the taxpayer.
After the Government voted against providing free school meals to kids over the holidays, almost 900,000 people have signed a petition calling for MPs meals to stop being subsidised by the taxpayer.
Last Wednesday MPs voted against a motion set out by the Labour Party to offer free school meals during the holidays until Easter 2021 to help those affected by the current COVID-19 pandemic. The end result was 322 to 261.
Amongst much anger over the result, figures have resurfaced showing that UK taxpayers fork out as much as £57,000 every week in order to subsidise food and drink for Westminster politicians. Almost 3 million pounds a year.
In the petition, launched by 38 Degrees by Portia Lawrie, it is demanded that the government stops taking public money for MPs meals. Adding that ‘all food and drink in parliamentary establishments be chargeable to MPs at market rates’.
With the petition already been signed more than 800,000 times (at the time of writing), the petition is way over its goal of 300,000 signatures.
The petition reads: “MPs have voted against extending free school meals into the holidays for the poorest children in the UK, in the middle of a pandemic.”
“They should under no circumstances benefit from free or subsidised meals out of public funds themselves. If the public purse cannot afford to feed the poorest in our society, why are we feeding those least in need?”
“Already well-paid public servants, set to receive yet another generous pay increase, whilst millions face hardship, job losses and poverty, do not need the public to pay for their food and drink.”
Signed off with: “Public funds should be spent on those most in need of them.”
The amount of attention the campaign has gained is no surprise, seeing as MPS were just given a pay rise of £3000, despite the horrific debt and financial crisis the rest of the country is in.
Throughout this time Manchester United hero Marcus Rashford has been fighting for free school meals for months. Showing his support in many ways which include volunteering at the Greater Manchester depot of FareShare – a charity responsible for distributing surplus supermarket food to those who need it most.
Rashford urges MPs to put aside all the noise, the digs, the party politics and focus on the reality, adding: “a significant number of children are going to bed tonight not only hungry but feeling like they do not matter!”