ONE of my highest priorities when I became an MP was to massively cut the levels of child poverty in Camborne, Redruth and Hayle.

The scourge of child poverty is reinforced to me every single time I speak with school leaders (who collectively do a remarkable job to ensure that children from poorer backgrounds do not feel left out at school.)

For too long child poverty has blighted Cornwall. Now I’m not going to point the political finger, but the onus falls on this Labour government to take the necessary action to ensure that our children and young people have the best possible start in life.

To that end, one of the key missions of the Labour Government is to remove barriers to opportunity at every level. A core plank of that mission is to ensure that every child is sufficiently fed whilst in education. To that end, I am absolutely delighted that Labour has announced that all children that live in a household on universal credit will be eligible for free school meals from the start of the 2026 academic year. This means an additional 500,000 children guaranteed of a decent school meal. Previously, only children that lived in a household earning less than £7,400 per year were eligible for free school meals.

This change will also crucially put £500 back into these parent’s pockets, as well as opening up further opportunities for them to pursue their own career aspirations. Reports suggest that this unprecedented expansion will lift 100,000 children completely out of poverty, building on the legacy of the last Labour Government.

In Camborne, Redruth and Hayle, this change will enable up to 4,700 more children from Years 3 to 11 to have access to free school meals. The practical benefits of this change are that it will significantly improve levels of concentration, drive higher attainment and improve pupil behaviour. By investing in more support for disadvantaged children, we are investing in their futures, setting them up to learn and achieve their academic potential.

Funded by removing the VAT exemption from private schools, this is just the latest step to put extra pounds in people’s pockets – a downpayment on our Child Poverty Strategy, building on: the expansion of free breakfast clubs; the cutting of the price of school uniforms, by limiting the number of school branded items of clothing; the national minimum wage boost; and the cap on Universal Credit deductions, through the Fair Repayment Rate. By minimising the costs associated with sending children to school, whilst at the same time creating that best possible learning environment, parental anxiety is also minimised, reducing mental health challenges.

This is not only an investment in today’s economy, but also an investment in our children’s future. It is also not the final word in this Labour Government’s child poverty strategy.

There is lots more to come as we rebuild the economy. And I will be pushing Government to implement these changes as rapidly as possible but readers can rest assured: Labour, the Party of Working People, will always prioritise eliminating child poverty.