'I’d be delighted to meet with Marcus Rashford' - West Sussex MP backs Manchester United footballer's plan to reduce child food poverty

Schools minister Nick Gibb has backed a taskforce set up by footballer Marcus Rashford, to try to alleviate child food poverty.
Manchester United footballer Marcus Rashford. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Pool via Getty Images)Manchester United footballer Marcus Rashford. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Pool via Getty Images)
Manchester United footballer Marcus Rashford. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Pool via Getty Images)

Bognor Regis and Littlehampton MP Mr Gibb, who has served as the minister of state for school standards since 2015, said he would be 'delighted to meet with' the Manchester United and England star, who successfully campaigned to extend free school meals this summer.

Led by Rashford, 22, a group of supermarkets, businesses and charities have formed a taskforce and backed proposals from the National Food Strategy, an independent review of UK food policy.

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Speaking to BBC Breakfast this morning (Tuesday, September 1), Mr Gibb said: "We are looking at all the policy suggestions that he [Rashford] has put forward in his letter to ensure we do deliver our shared objective, which is to alleviate the kind of poverty which he talks about.

Bognor Regis and Littlehampton MP Nick Gibb, who has served as the minister of state for school standards since 2015Bognor Regis and Littlehampton MP Nick Gibb, who has served as the minister of state for school standards since 2015
Bognor Regis and Littlehampton MP Nick Gibb, who has served as the minister of state for school standards since 2015

"The very compelling thing in his letter is how his own personal experience in becoming a professional footballer helped him and his family escape from that situation.

"For most people, the only way out of poverty is through the education system which is why we are so committed, as a government, to ensure that all young people have the standard of education in their local school that children from more advantaged family take for granted.

"Our objective is to make sure every young person in this country, regardless of where they live and their background, has that quality of education.

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"That is the way out of the kind of poverty that Marcus Rashford is absolutely right to draw the nation's attention to."

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