Labour’s candidate said cutting the scheme would mean over 13,000 Barnet children lose out

Labour's Chipping Barnet candidate Dan Tomlinson campaigning with young Labour activists holding placards — Dan Tomlinson on the campaign trail (Credit – Dan for Chipping Barnet)

Labour’s candidate for Chipping Barnet Dan Tomlimson has slammed Conservative mayoral candidate Susan Hall claiming she wants to ditch Sadiq Khan’s free school meals policy.

The Labour mayor has accused his Conservative rival of planning to cut the scheme after she said: “there’s no such thing as a free meal” during a recent debate.

Hall claims she has no plans to do so but had previously called for support to be targeted at the poorest students rather than free meals being provided for all primary schoolchildren.

Now Tomlinson has entered the debate to highlight the potential impact of the policy being cancelled. He told Barnet Post that 13,495 children in Barnet would miss out free school meals if national eligibility was applied in the borough instead of the mayor’s approach.

He said: “If Susan Hall wins this week, she will deliver a cruel blow to Barnet families and children whom the mayor’s free school
meals policy has helped.”

He added: “As someone who received free school meals as a child I know just how important they are to many children and families. It is deeply troubling to see the Conservative candidate go after such an important lifeline for many Barnet residents. The cost of living is making things tough for many families and this Tory plan to cut free school meals would make things even more difficult.”

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