Merseyside MP steps up campaign to get right to food enshrined in law

A politician from Merseyside is calling for a change in the law to make access to food a legal right for everyone in the country.

Liverpool West Derby MP Ian Byrne wants the idea included in the national food strategy.

Supporters are taking part in a national Right To Food day on social media.

Research from the Food Foundation estimates approximately 20% of adults (10 million) in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland face food insecurity annually.

The Child Poverty Action Group says 4.2 million children (30%) were already living in poverty in the UK prior to the pandemic.

Led by the Labour MP and Fans Supporting Foodbanks, a joint initiative between rival Liverpool FC and Everton FC supporters, the campaign was launched in November 2020 and has achieved considerable support.

A petition on the issue gathered more than 53,000 signatures and the campaign has received the backing of the Daily Mirror, Human Rights Watch, Marcus Rashford, trade unions, charities, faith leaders and many businesses and members of the public.

Metro mayors Andy Burnham and Steve Rotheram both included the issue in their election manifestos earlier this year.

Leaders have written to Henry Dimbleby, chair of the National Food Strategy team, ahead of its report to Government next month, urging him to include the right to food in their findings.

An early day motion tabled by Ian Byrne MP has been supported so far by 59 cross-party MPs.