MIKE HILL: No child should ever go hungry in 21st Century Britain

No matter how much they’ve tried to wriggle out of it the Tories in Government voted against the idea; effectively turning their backs on the 4,738 Children in Hartlepool who are eligible for Free School Meals.

Thanks to the voluntary organisations, the churches, schools and local businesses those kids will not have gone hungry this week; no thanks to the Government.

This issue will not go away: no child should go hungry in 21st Century Britain.

Last week we were so close to going into tier 3 of COVID local lockdown and from reports this week that threat remains very real. So in the House of Commons last week I asked the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care directly to tell us what the Government’s exit strategy from Tier 3 is and he couldn’t give a straight answer.

Fast forward to this week and 50 Tory MPs, from Northern areas hit hard by lockdown, have written to the Prime Minister asking the same question.

After voting against free School Meals, it really is a case of wake up and smell the coffee; the Government’s inept handling of the pandemic and unfair bias against the North isn’t exactly helping them with their so called levelling up agenda.

The Tories promised the Earth to folk in the North and have delivered nothing in ten years.

Finally, the one subject which rightly never slipped under the radar is this year’s proposed pay rise for MPs, which we never asked for or voted for.

I will not be using the pay rise.

At a time when jobs are at risk, and poverty is on the rise, the decision to recommend a pay rise for MPs is an insult to the British people.

It is therefore my intention to donate the additional monthly pay to local charities who’s primary function is to support people here in our wonderful town on top of my usual donations.

Conservative MPs rejected Labour's Opposition Day motion to extend free school meals by 322 votes to 261, with five Tory MPs rebelling.