Local councils back Marcus Rashford’s school meals campaign

The footballer and food poverty campaigner Marcus Rashford says he “couldn’t be more proud to call myself British” after councils and businesses offered to provide food during the half-term break for children entitled to free school meals.

On Wednesday, the government defeated a Labour motion to provide school meal vouchers to the poorest pupils during school holidays in England.

The Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish governments have said they will supply the free meals and now several Conservative councils – including in the Prime Minister’s constituency – have joined them.