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SSP free school meals campaign
IMPROVE SCOTLAND’S HEALTH!
Local SSP branches in Scotland including Maryhill SSP are campaigning on the streets, both in local areas and in the city centre.
WHY FREE SCHOOL MEALS FOR ALL CHILDREN? *SEE BELOW
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* A third of young people in Scotland are obese and suffering diseases normally seen in older adults. This is because successive governments have allowed multinational companies to spend billions on advertising and promoting the junk food culture. Bad dietary habits begin early and should be tackled at an early age before they become ingrained. Providing free nutritious school meals for ALL children will improve the health of our future generations. It has been proven to work: Years ago Finland had the worst heart disease rates in Europe until they introduced nutritious free school meals. Now their health record has dramatically improved. Other European countries have been providing healthy free school meals for more than twenty years. Hull council in England introduced free meals in their primary schools in 2004 with much success. The uptake of free school meals dramatically increased. Unfortunately they later withdrew the scheme citing lack of funds. Given that it currently costs the same per year to treat obesity-related diseases, and the obesity statistics and therefore costs to the health service are increasing, why can’t the Scottish Parliament develop the will to tackle poverty and ill-health in Scotland by voting to introduce free nutritious school meals for all children? * Under the current system very few children are entitled to free school meals and many don’t take them because of the social stigma so they end up having to go hungry or eat cheap, nutritionally inadequate meals. Introducing free school meals for ALL children will remove the stigma. * Parents of other children are on low incomes and yet are considered to be earning just enough and no more to miss qualifying for their children receiving free school meals. Again the children end up having to make do with whatever their parents can afford to feed them or else the family ends up in worsening financial difficulties. Introducing free school meals for ALL children will ensure the children of ALL low-income families receive adequate nourishment. * Q: One common argument: why should high income families’ children have free meals? A: Not all children from higher incomed families are adequately fed. Some parents can’t cope with organising nutritious meals (or even any meals at all) for various reasons including illness, both physical and mental and their children can go hungry or nutritionally deficient. A: Under the SSP the economic system would tip in favour of people with low and lower-middle incomes so Those in a high income bracket would in any case be paying indirectly for their children’s free school meals at source instead of their kids having to look for money at lunchtime. A: Giving children money to buy lunches means that a lot of them will just buy chips, sauces and fizzy drinks and end up suffering malnutrition from a lack of protein, minerals and vitamins. Providing free school meals for all children will ensure that they all get at least one healthy, nutritious meal a day.
Do you really want Scotland to be the heart-attack capital of Europe?
Then please support the Scottish Socialist Party campaign to introduce free school meals for all children in Scotland.
*Contact your MSP and ask them to support the campaign for free school meals. *Sign the SSP petition wherever you see an SSP stall in the street. *Contact the SSP office to find out how to get involved in campaigning for free school meals. SSP office email: sspglasgow@btconnect.com
¨ Did you know that MSPs are allowed to dine cheaply at the public expense in the Scottish Parliament although they could easily afford to pay for their own lunch from their hugely inflated salaries? MSPs with ministerial positions have salaries that are even greater still. Yet they vote to award themselves £80,000 worth of gourmet lunches a year in addition to awarding themselves huge salaries.
If they can use their powers to award themselves heavily subsidised lunches, why are they so reluctant to give schoolchildren a decent start in life by awarding all Scottish children a decent healthy meal to combat poverty and ill health?
¨ The same MSPs that vote to award themselves high salaries and virtually free lunches have twice voted against the SSP free school meals bills in the Scottish Parliament.
How unjust it is for well-paid politicians to be able to receive an annual £80,000 worth of free food while low-paid ordinary workers and growing schoolchildren are expected to pay or starve. · Show your MSP exactly what you think of their double standards. Let them know that as a registered voter you can vote against them if they do not listen to the wishes of the people whom they are meant to represent.
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For other information and news visit: http://www.scottishsocialistparty.org
Interested in joining the SSP? http://www.scottishsocialistparty.org/pages/joinus.html
Free school meal links: |
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SSP members campaigning for free school meals in Glasgow’s St Enoch Square. |
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Photo: J Lanigan |