'Children should be in school, not protesting'

School children protested for universal free school meals outside the Labour party conference

Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has said it was wrong for primary school children to "be used as a political football" after about 100 protested for universal free school meals outside the Labour Party conference.

About 100 children from schools in the city had handed a petition to the Prime Minister and also handed out leaflets to delegates as they arrived at the conference venue in Liverpool.

The National Education Union which organised the activity, involving children from 10 local primary schools, said the "leafleting event" did not conflict with the rules around political impartiality in schools.

The Department of Education said pupils are not allowed to leave school to protest.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch was speaking on BBC Radio Merseyside

Badenoch said if parents felt strongly, they could take their children to protest.

"If I found out that the teachers were taking my kids out to go protest a Labour Party conference, and I don't like a Labour Party conference, I'd be absolutely livid," the mother-of-three said.

"Every child that needs free school meals receives free school meals," she said.

"What they are protesting for is for everyone to get free school meals. My children don't need free school meals. Why should other people have to pay for that?"

She said people "should not be using children to make bad political arguments" and said children "need to be in school learning".

In June Sir Keir Starmer announced an extension of the free school meals programme to include any child in England whose parents receive Universal Credit.

A NEU representative said the campaign was not aimed at any one party and MPs in all parties have been lobbied.

"Engaging with the democratic system, including taking part in lobbying MPs, or councillors or other elected figures, is a way children can learn about our parliamentary system," the representative said.

They added: "The leafleting event was not a protest event.

"This activity was part of appropriate learning activities where pupils were engaging with local issues and the democratic system which is developing them as active citizens, a theme of the primary curriculum.

"Engaging with the democratic system, including speaking to MPs, or councillors or other elected figures, is a way children can learn about our parliamentary system."

The law forbids the "promotion of partisan political views" in schools.

Guidance issued by the Department for Education defines partisan as "one-sided" and suggests "political views" are those expressed with a political purpose, such as to further the interests of a particular partisan group, change the law or change government policy.

Liverpool City Council, which oversees the schools involved, has been contacted for comment.