Keir Starmer is facing mounting calls to extend free school meals to every child in England if Labour makes it into power, to help families struggling with the cost of living and close the educational attainment gap.
The National Education Union has also called for long-term funding for the holiday activities and food programme fronted by the England footballer Marcus Rashford, offering free places to children on universal credit (UC), in its policy submission to the party.
The Labour leader has come under pressure to adopt the free meals policy nationally since the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, announced free school meals for all primary pupils across the capital for a year from September.
A number of local Labour constituency parties are understood to have made similar calls. The Scottish and Welsh governments are also introducing universal free school meals, which are currently only available for all children up to year 2 in England.
There is understood to be a meeting of Labour’s policy commission that deals with public services on Tuesday, but the Guardian has been told the paper up for discussion makes no commitments on free school meals or other NEU demands.
