Labour rules out free school meals for all primary pupils despite MPs’ pressure

It is the definition of nipping it in the bud. Dozens of Labour MPs were reported last night to be putting pressure on the party leadership to extend free school meals to all primary school children. The “intense lobbying” for a measure with some support from “all sectors of the party”, as MPs told the i, followed hot on the heels of pressure from metro mayors and the National Education Union over the past few days. The Communication Workers Union had reportedly pitched the measure too as part of Labour’s national policy forum.

But almost as soon as the temperature started to rise, the party reached for the fire extinguisher. A Labour spokesperson told the Times: “This is not Labour policy and we have no plans to implement it.” Officials are said to view other measures as “more effective” when it comes to cutting poverty. The decision is likely to spark frustration among campaigners, as well as members perplexed to keep hearing almost as many policies ruled out or rowed back on as ruled in. But some experts note it would mainly benefit better-off children, as most poorer pupils are already entitled to free school meals, so you don’t have to be a bean-counter to wonder if it’s the best thing for Labour to prioritise.

One man with his eye firmly on those beans is Pat McFadden, Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury. He was out on the morning broadcast round keeping up the pressure on the Tories on what Labour’s now not just dubbing the “Tory mortgage penalty”, but the “Tory mortgage bombshell” and the “mortgage crisis”. Probably best they stick to one phrase, as George ‘long-term economic plan’ Osborne would tell you. Labour hopes to force a vote on mortgage support through an opposition day debate today.

Pressed on Sky News about calls for banks to offer higher saving rates as their mortgage interest earnings grow, McFadden said “you’d see if the regulator can force them” to up interest for savers. It came after Chancellor Jeremy Hunt was reported to be “working on a solution” himself. There’s not much difference between Labour and government plans to help homeowners, bar Labour’s focus on making proposals mandatory – and similarly on savings, Labour seems to be trying to stay one step ahead of the government, but no further than that. McFadden also faced a grilling over Dale Vince and Just Stop Oil, and made clear “protesters should stop” disrupting people “going about their business” – but he doesn’t “legislate” for donors’ actions.

Elsewhere, in Greater Manchester, metro mayor Andy Burnham has promised to set out a “radical plan to empower tenants” later today, in an interesting use of his devolved powers likely to be watched by authorities elsewhere.

Meanwhile in by-election land, Uxbridge and South Ruislip’s Labour candidate Danny Beales was joined by Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting yesterday. Streeting promised a new local hospital, and he praised the impressive turnout from socialist societies, unions and the party more widely for canvassing over the weekend. It’s just been confirmed too some 17 candidates will stand, notably including Piers Corbyn, Count Binface, Laurence Fox and two candidates apparently called No Ulez Leo Phaure and Kingsley Hamilton Anti Ulez. The salience of the ultra-low emission zone (ULEZ) controversy should worry Labour, but those two candidates may actually help funnel some anti-ULEZ votes away from the Tories.

At the other end of the UK, Labour’s formally opened the application window for two Aberdeen seats, while the party’s shortlist has been whittled down to three in Shrewsbury. And if you want to boost your own political fortunes, the Local Government Association Labour Next Generation training programme’s just opened too.

Further afield in Washington, the Financial Times claims senior Labour figures quietly held talks with senior officials in Joe Biden’s administration recently, and the paper takes a look at the party’s “growing international network” of like-minded administrations from the US to Australia to Germany. And finally, in some more good news for Labour on top of its recent 25-point YouGov poll lead, a swing voter focus group for Times Radio is “the best… we’ve had for Labour for months, possibly ever”, according to presenter Matt Chorley.