This release in from Nick Belfitt, the prospective parliamentary candidate in the 2017 general election. OnTheWight has sought a response from Bob Seely. Ed
3,000 schoolchildren on Isle of Wight will lose out on free lunches, under plans announced in the Conservative manifesto.
Introduced by Liberal Democrats
Free school lunches for pupils from reception to Year 2 were introduced by the Liberal Democrats in government, but Theresa May now plans to scrap them. The changes would cost families an average extra £480 a year for every child.
The Liberal Democrats have called on Conservative candidate Bob Seely to make it clear whether or not he would vote for the plans.
The Conservatives are also proposing to make older people pay for social care costs from the value of their own homes when they die. This means on average, families on the Island would expect to see 49.7% of the value of their home spent on care costs.
Belfitt: “The nasty party is back”
Liberal Democrat candidate Nick Belfitt commented:
“This Conservative manifesto shows the nasty party is back.
“Margaret Thatcher was known as the milk snatcher, it seems Theresa May will go down as the lunch snatcher.
“She is cynically snatching meals away from thousands of children on the Isle of Wight, while the elderly receiving care in their own home will face a ‘Personal Death Tax’ charged against their home.
“Bob Seely must now come clean over whether he will vote to take away free lunches from the children of hard-pressed families.
“The Liberal Democrats will offer a brighter future by extending free school meals to all primary schools.
“We will stand up to Theresa May’s cold, mean-spirited Britain, protecting those that need the most help and fighting for more funding for our schools and hospitals.”
Image: shannonpatrick17 under CC BY 2.0
