My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

News

Blair responds to Jamie Oliver campaign, about time too! But will it be enough?

21 replies

WideWebWitch · 20/03/2005 14:59

At last, a response. This is from JO's Feed me better site "We're going to take action...to meet concern over school meals," says the PM in today's Observer. "It will draw on the remarkable work of Jamie Oliver in schools, of the Soil Association in encouraging the use of organic and local produce in school meals, and on the best advice on nutrition and eliminating processed foods."

"The government action will include:

Rebuilt school kitchens
'Culinary skills' lessons for dinner ladies
An Independent School Food Trust to co-ordinate the effort
Local organic produce to be worked into school dinners
Children's Manifesto unveiled tomorrow (Monday 21st)"

Article (though not the one written by Blair) in The Observer, here It's a start. I watched the last programme in the series last night and really had to think about whether I'd vote Labour if they ignored this. I'll be interested to read the manifesto tomorrow.

OP posts:
Report
LGJ · 20/03/2005 15:00

Praise the Lord.

Report
JanH · 20/03/2005 15:00

Blair's bit

Report
WideWebWitch · 20/03/2005 15:02

Well done Janh, had dd clinging to my leg, couldn't look for it!

OP posts:
Report
JanH · 20/03/2005 15:04

There isn't a link on the page you linked to, is there, www - a bit odd! Found it via home page.

Is it terribly cynical of me to think he is jumping in here quick before the Tories do, and take all the parents' votes?

Report
wobblyknicks · 20/03/2005 15:06

Sorry to be cynical but I would happily put money on Labour forgetting all about this issue if they got in again. School meals have been an issue all the time they've been in government - funny how its only election time when they seem to care!!!

Report
JanH · 20/03/2005 15:24

"Labour cashes in" - from Sunday Times.

Report
WideWebWitch · 20/03/2005 15:29

They'd be bloody stupid not to cash in on it in an election year wouldn't they? I was so disgusted by the last programme I was going to fire off a few more stroppy emails over the next couple of days. I still may, depending on what the manifesto says. Jamie is a hero, shame it takes a celeb chef to state the bleedin' obvious.

OP posts:
Report
JoolsToo · 20/03/2005 15:34

I think it was more a case 'bloody hell, this is gathering momentum - best step in quick'

very opportunist in my book - but if it results in decent meals in our schools all well and good - as long as they don't make it a year on year decision like the pensioners £200 council tax deduction

Report
Freckle · 20/03/2005 15:49

It will cost a lot more than simply adding a few pence to the ingredients budget. DS3's infant school had its on site kitchen transformed into a library/computer room and they now have meals "bussed" in. For this scheme to work, school will need kitchens on site, so a lot more refurbishing will have to go on. If they put up the money for that, I'm more inclined to think they are serious. If not, then it's all just whitewash in an election year.

Report
excivilservant · 20/03/2005 15:50

Do keep up the pressure if you have the time. I've actually worked in Whitehall and I assure you it isn't just cashing in. Governments can't afford to miss an issue that concerns so many people, election year or not. But once the dust has settled ( the election's out of the way) the Treasury will start trying to find a way to reign back on the spending. That doesn't mean the changes would disappear entirely but it would be death by a thousand cuts. Its not forgetting about it, wobblyknicks, but the effect may not be greatly different. Also if the Conservatives did win the election have they made any sort of commitment yet?????

This may well be something the responsible minister has wanted to do for ages. It probably is or they could not have responded as quickly. There are usually lots of things ministers would like to do but they have problems finding the money. They use the public pressure to squeeze some dosh from the treasury. Jamie's managed to make changes without a lot of money so they had a good case to put to the Treasury.

How about another petition for some sort of honour for Jamie Oliver? Think mumsnet would be a good place to start the petition. Anyone want to e-mail the team and suggest they'd earn a lot of credit with parents for starting a petition?

Report
FIMAC1 · 20/03/2005 17:19

The Tories would not touch this 'hot potato' as it is their reforms back in the late 1970's that actually led to the poor quality we have today. They made schools contract out their dinners and only accept the lowest tender

Report
misdee · 20/03/2005 17:20

i thought that was the lates 80's that happened?

Report
Pinotmum · 20/03/2005 17:38

I remember being at secondary school in the late 70's when all of a sudden meat and 2 veg was replaced with sausage rolls and chips. Maggie T grrr!!

Report
JanH · 20/03/2005 17:53

It started in 1980 and got worse and worse after that....

Report
Tortington · 20/03/2005 18:29

i ate chips n gravy for 4 years in senior school - the last year we went to the local bakers for meat & potato pie! it was 50p for chips gravy and a 6p shortbread biscuit with a cherry on top

what have the other parties pledged to do? anyone?

Report
Beetroot · 20/03/2005 18:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Hulababy · 20/03/2005 18:33

I noticed the change when I went from middle school up to secondary. Secondary school was more cafeteria style and it was all junk. I started secondary school in 1986. Before that in first school (1977-1982) it was a no option meal, complete with child servers, etc. You ate what you were given and there were no alternatives.Then at middle school (1982) you queued up and chose your own food - but I remember it being proper food. Yes, there were chips but not daily. And certainly it wasn't pizza, burgers and sausage rolls.

Report
muminlondon · 21/03/2005 14:07

What makes me really suspicious is that the schools meals trust thing was announced more than a month ago (see Guardian ) so Blair could just be spinning old news. This morning on the Today programme a children's charity representative sounded cautious and said she couldn't understand the extra layer of bureaucracy in having this trust. It sounds like another opportunity for glossy brochures like the 'healthy living blueprint for schools' from September - all talk and leaflets, no action. And that Guardian report said it will have representatives from the food industry - so what will that mean? Free stickers and wall charts from McDonalds? I feel cynical and hope Jamie keeps up the pressure.

Report
alhambra · 21/03/2005 16:20

Aye, I agree muminlondon. Until they put their money where their spin/bureaucracy is it has to be seen as a cynical pre-election ploy.

Report
WideWebWitch · 21/03/2005 16:59

muminlondon, interesting that Jamie Oliver is refusing to endorse this until the govt actually stump up some money.

OP posts:
Report
tatt · 22/03/2005 06:53

spinning old news or something the government was already trying to alter but not quickly enough?

When I had school dinners the quality was often terrible because the staff couldn't cook but at least the basic ingredients were healthy ones. We had no choice over what we ate and while I wouldn't wish to see that again the choices should all be healthy ones.

Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.