Free school meals protest at Tory party offices

Welshpool residents have told Montgomeryshire MP Craig Williams they are not happy with his vote against free school meals during Covid-19 lockdown.

Plates carrying messages and a pumpkin were left on the doorstep of the MP’s Welshpool constituency office overnight with post-it notes stuck to the windows.

The protest followed Mr Williams’ decision to vote against Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford and Labour’s bid to feed vulnerable children during the lockdown period.

The plates and post-it notes were decorated with messages such as: “Craig Williams voted against free school meals for hungry kids, shameful”, “Shame, so cruel”, “HM Government Warning, don’t feed the children”, “You can’t call yourself a Christian if you vote to deny children food, it’s as simple as that”.

While the pumpkin was daubed with “End food child poverty, save our children”.

Post-it note messages included: “MPs get £125 per week for a food allowance”, 14 million people in the UK are living in poverty”, “Feed the children”, “You do not represent me”, ”Food is a basic human right” and “feed our kids”.

The Montgomeryshire MP has faced fierce criticism on social media this week after voting against Labour’s motion for free school meals which was defeated by 61 votes.

The vote does not apply to schoolchildren in Wales as the Welsh Government has already agreed to provide free meals during.