[reece(:]

The Conservative Party has admitted that a key manifesto commitment to provide breakfasts for every primary school pupil in England could cost far more than the £60 million initially promised.
In a second embarrassing U-turn for the party following the debacle over its social care plans, the Conservatives now say the costs of providing breakfasts “will vary depending on how many pupils at any given school take up this offer”.

The party said in an official statement the night before its manifesto launch last week that the policy would cost £60 million, but is now refusing to confirm the figure, leaving the policy uncosted, and prompting questions about its affordability.

It comes after Schools Week analysis revealed the party’s original costings would mean giving schools the equivalent of less than 7p per pupil to pay for breakfasts.

Education Datalab analysis shows that if only half of pupils take up free breakfasts at a cost of 25p each, the likely cost of the policy would be more than £400 million.

The u-turn calls into question the party’s ability to deliver on its promise to pump extra general revenue funding into schools.

The Conservatives pledged last week to increase the school budget by £4 billion in real-terms over the next parliament.

But it said the extra £1 billion a year needed to do so would be found through savings, including taking £650 million from the scrapped free lunches for infants.


The additional money is supposed to provide protection for schools against rising costs and ensure no schools lose out as a result of the new national funding formula.

However, if the cost of breakfast clubs spirals, there is no guarantee schools won’t be forced to use some or all of the additional funding received under the Conservatives’ plans to fund them.

A Conservative spokesperson confirmed the party will “ensure that all primary schools can offer a free school breakfast to every child in every year of primary school”, adding that evidence shows this is “a cost-effective way to improve education and health results for pupils”.

“The costs will vary depending on how many pupils at any given school take up this offer,” the spokesperson added.

http://schoolsweek.co.uk/conservativ...ol-breakfasts/

7p per pupil for breakfast? They're a joke

[Denver]

No worse then labour expecting police officers to work for free

[lewis111]

How was their manifesto acctually put together?
Did they just let one person write it all have no one check over it and the send it out

[UserSince2005]

tbf these fat kids could do with skipping a meal each day.
I think its a good idea.

[Wizard.]

Coming from a Tory that's embarrassing

[Black Dagger]

Originally Posted by Adam.

No worse then labour expecting police officers to work for free

They don't though hun.

[Denver]

Originally Posted by Black Dagger

They don't though hun.

Not what Diane Abbott was saying

[Black Dagger]

As if you're still going on about that.

[Scarlett.]

They backtrack more than Michael Jackson doing the moonwalk

[lewis111]

Originally Posted by Adam.

Not what Diane Abbott was saying

That was a mistake on live radio, not an actual part of a manifesto they're incomparable

[Withano]

Originally Posted by Adam.

No worse then labour expecting police officers to work for free

(Their manifesto is fully costed, tories manifesto is not).

[Northern Monkey]

So this is the reason they didn't release the costings for their manifesto?

Jokers

[arista]

a mess

[reece(:]

Originally Posted by Northern Monkey

So this is the reason they didn't release the costings for their manifesto?

Jokers

And the reason they failed to agree to their manifesto and labour's being evaluated by an independent costing assessor

[armand.kay]

Why are they so all over the place? This is beyond embarrassing. They called the election, they had the heads up and they can't even settle on their manifesto? Jesus.

[joeysteele]

This is the problem with elections held in haste with little care as to planning.
The problem is the Cons wanted this election to be about brexit and supposed strong leadership re Mrs May.

They hoped to sidetrack probably major debate and scrutiny on other policies.
Hence also why Mrs May runs scared of group live debates.

The Con manifesto is not clearly costed nor do we know likely future borrowing needs from them,neither will they reveal the now planned cap as to care until after the election.
Because they don't know.

Far from being strong stable and assured leadership all that only highlights the direct opposite.

Diane Abbott said 300,000 instead of 300 million cost,yes an embarrassing moment but Labour had already earlier that day,issued the right figure so it was already known and fully costed anyway.

Here on this,it is clear the Cons are announcing policy with virtually no planning done as to real costings of same.

[Headie]

Originally Posted by UserSince2005

tbf these fat kids could do with skipping a meal each day.
I think its a good idea.

[Shaun]

Ignore the troll