Labour cannot promise free school meals for all primary school children because there is not an “endless supply of money”, Angela Rayner has said.
Keir Starmer has been under pressure to introduce the policy should he become prime minister after the election.
Sadiq Khan, London’s Labour mayor, has announced free school meals will be offered to all primary school children in the capital for a year from September.
The National Education Union (NEU) has also called on Labour to commit to the policy if it forms the next government.
But speaking at the Institute for Government (IfG) on Thursday, Rayner said Labour could only pledge to provide free breakfasts.
“The free breakfast club is going to have the biggest impact that’s why we have prioritised to do that,” she said.
