there's growing pressure on the
government from some of its own mps to
reverse its decision not to provide
free meals to children during school
holidays
the footballer michaels rashford who led
the campaign has tonight tried to calm
the increasingly heated debate on the
issue
while our political correspondent nick
hurdley is here nick just how much of an
issue is this proving for the government
well
ministers argue that they've put a lot
of support in place tens of millions for
local councils to help vulnerable
families billions
in welfare support and at the moment
they're resisting a u-turn like the one
we saw in the summer when they said they
would
provide vouchers during the holidays but
this issue isn't going away
and that's partly because marcus
rashford keeps talking
so very publicly about it scores of
businesses in england have said they'll
provide meals because of his campaign
many councils are stepping in too some
of them tory led councils like
hillingdon in london
which covers boris johnson's own
constituency now
many tory mps have been out on social
media defending the government's
position the debate is heated this is a
politically
divisive issue marcus rashford saying
tonight that he wants to calm things
down a bit saying the abuse
has been unacceptable and then it needs
to end but i do think some tory mps are
getting increasingly nervous
about the government's position tonight
we've got tim lauten a former children's
minister
saying that the government needs to
change its mind he'll lobby them
ahead of christmas another former
minister tobias ellwood saying
the government needs to revisit its
position a government minister
johnny mercer saying that it's been
poorly handled in private
others have concerns too and on the
front page of the observer tomorrow
2 000 pediatricians doctors who work
with young people
saying that the government should change
its mind that it's a basic human
responsibility
to make sure children have enough to eat
now in scotland wales and northern
ireland there are schemes
in place in england the government says
it's sticking back its position
but the debate rages on nick thank you