On #FSM, it's important

This was not 'help poor kids, yes or no?'

It was about whether the state should provide meals for millions of kids 365 days a year.

We've put £9bn extra in to welfare and support this yr to help struggling families. Gov is 100% helping kids in need.

Voting not to roll out huge expansion of long term state dependency to millions, when a large % of those on FSM are not impoverished and don't want or need it, is not an effective use of funding to support poor kids. Being on FSM does not automatically = 'hungry in the holidays'

I voted to target that funding more effectively to kids in desperate need, like the HUGE £1BN PACKAGE from @mhclg to councils today who are tasked with local and targeted support of disadvantaged people and families.

You'd think a truly 'caring' Labour party could recognise the huge difference between the majority of kids on FSM who are not wealthy by any stretch, but who have good parents and are managing, and impoverished kids who are desperate. FSM is not a good measure for this!

Those calling me all sorts of abusive names today conveniently miss the fact that I'm one of just a handful calling for long term help for disadvantaged kids in communities like #Mansfield with education and skills etc - help to break the cycle of poverty for working class kids!

A campaign that the left have consistently labelled as racist because these kids are white, despite the stats clearly showing the dire need. Let's move beyond oversimplification and vilification of those who disagree & have a sensible debate shall we, where people are not 'scum!'

@threadreaderapp unroll