Jamie Oliver calls for more free school meals as he urges politicians to 'prioritise children's health'

Jamie Oliver has called on politicians to "prioritise children's health" and extend free school meals to more pupils in England.

The celebrity chef has become a figurehead for improving children's nutrition and access to healthy food following his campaigns in the past. He is now calling on the government to listen to both Conservative and Labour voters on the matter after a survey showed that voters were in favour of extending the plan.

A survey of more than 3,00 people in England for the School Food Review group, which involve 30 organisations including charities and educational bodies among others, found that 82% of those planning to vote Labour in the next election were in favour of extending to access to free school meals to more pupils. The same survey found that 53% of prospective Conservative voters were also in favour of the move.

More than 70% of respondents also agreed that the current income threshold to receive free school meals is either inadequate or should not exist at all. Currently, the scheme is available to children from households whose parents are in receipt of Universal Credit and with a household income of less than £7,400 per year.

Oliver, who is backing the Feed the Future campaign, said: “It’s great to see that voters across all parties want to put child health first. This reflects what I’m hearing across all my social channels – it’s time to prioritise our children’s health.

“We know that nourishing young minds with nutritious food is an investment in their future, boosts our economy and our health.

It comes as London Mayor Sadiq Khan announced that all primary-aged children in London's state-funded school would be made eligible for the free school meals scheme. At the time, Khan, who has spoken about his reliance on free meals as a child, said that he was “determined to do all I can to help and know from personal experience what a lifeline free school meals can be”.

Oliver added: “Sadiq Khan has recognised this by giving all primary school children a free school meal and now we need politicians across all parties to put child health above politics and act now.”

The issue may also be one which sways voters at the polls, with 23% of respondents who voted Conservative in 2019 saying they would be more likely to vote Labour if they were to pledge free school meals for all children. Around 18% of those who said they intended to vote Conservative at the next election also said that they could be swayed by the issue.

A Government spokesperson said: “Over a third of pupils in England now receive free school meals in education settings, compared with one in six in 2010 and we have extended eligibility several times to more groups of children than any other government over the past half a century.

“This includes introducing new eligibility criteria for families receiving Universal Credit, to ensure even more children were eligible for a free school meal.

“We’re providing record financial support worth an average £3,300 per household. We have also raised benefits in line with inflation, increased the National Living Wage and are helping households with food, energy and other essential costs.”