Boris Johnson news – live: Rashford’s free school meals petition nears 1m names as pressure builds on PM
Marcus Rashford’s petition to extend free school meals through the Christmas holidays is nearing 1 million signatures, as pressure builds on Boris Johnson to solve the latest row enveloping his government.
Overnight and this morning ministers were still urging people suffering food poverty to rely on universal credit and touting £63m in funding given to councils earlier this year – which has already run out.
However, business minister Nadhim Zahawi hinted early on Tuesday that the government may extend a holiday activity and food programme piloted in 17 areas this year and devised by its food czar Henry Dimbleby, who also co-founded the Leon restaurant chain.
