Labour's Free Breakfast Club Plans Face Funding Crisis, Schools Withdraw

Labour's plan to provide free breakfast clubs in primary schools is facing significant challenges, primarily due to insufficient funding of just 60p per pupil per day. School leaders report that this amount is inadequate to cover food and staffing costs, leading many to withdraw from the pilot program. Notably, headteachers like Paul Bertram from Buxworth Primary School highlighted potential shortfalls of thousands of pounds if they participated, with some schools stating they could not run the program without incurring losses. The government has allocated a total budget of £315 million to roll out the initiative, but concerns persist about its feasibility and long-term sustainability. Critics have also raised alarms over the marketing of unhealthy food products in schools, which undermines the nutritional goals of the breakfast clubs. As the rollout date approaches, the future of this initiative appears uncertain, with calls for better funding and flexibility in its implementation.