Reform UK faces criticism following remarks from a prominent party member questioning the necessity of Labour’s free breakfast clubs, suggesting that it is the responsibility of parents to ensure their children start the school day well. Linden Kemkaran, leader of Reform’s Kent Council Council, expressed on social media his belief that parents should be providing the best possible start for their children before school.
Free breakfast clubs offer at least 30 minutes of complimentary childcare and a nutritious breakfast before the school day begins. According to the Department for Education (DfE), these clubs save working parents around £450 annually.
A Labour representative highlighted the importance of breakfast clubs in supporting working families and enabling parents to work while ensuring children have a positive start to their school day. There are currently 29 breakfast clubs in Kent, with plans for more in the future.
Labour recently expanded its program to include 500 additional schools, benefiting approximately 300,000 students. The initiative, which initially involved 750 schools in a pilot scheme last year, is set to welcome more schools from September onwards. Labour aims to have a free breakfast club in every primary school in England by the end of the Parliament.
Bridget Phillipson, the Education Secretary, emphasized the transformative impact of free breakfasts on morning routines nationwide, noting the practical support they provide to families. The Department for Education highlighted that these clubs assist parents with childcare at the beginning of the school day without extra costs, allowing parents to drop off their children earlier and gain up to 95 additional hours to manage busy mornings.
The latest extension of breakfast clubs prioritizes schools with the highest proportion of pupils on free school meals, ensuring that those in most need benefit first. Reform UK chose not to provide a response to the criticism.