Susan Corridor in automotive crash interview over free faculty meals U-turn

To the bemusement of the broadcaster and different London mayoral candidates, Susan Corridor insisted she had backed free faculty meals earlier than Sadiq Khan, regardless of arguing final week that there’s “no such factor as a free meal”. 

The Tory candidate was caught out as soon as again in a reside LBC debate, after her fellow candidates and the LBC broadcaster questioned Corridor over her lack of readability on the coverage, whereas Sadiq Khan congratulated the published channel for getting the Tory candidate “to “carry out a U-turn reside on-air”. 

 Corridor claimed to have backed common free faculty meals “all alongside”, earlier than being reminded that she had known as the coverage “improper” simply weeks earlier than. 

London mayoral hopefuls, Sadiq Khan for Labour, Susan Corridor for the Conservatives, Zoe Garbett for the Greens and Rob Blackie for the Lib Dems had been on LBC Tuesday night for a debate forward of the Could election. 

When requested if she would decide to common free faculty meals Corridor replied, “Sure, and I truly dedicated to it earlier than Sadiq Khan did and that may be documented.”

This garnered incredulity from fellow friends as she was pressed by the broadcaster about her latest statements on the subject, having beforehand she mentioned the coverage was “improper” and claimed tax-payers had been paying to feed “youngsters of millionaires”.

“Congratulations, you’ve acquired the Tory candidate to carry out a U-turn reside on-air,” mentioned Sadiq Khan. “Let’s be fairly clear as a result of Zoe and Rob had been there final week the place I promised to increase common free faculty meals completely reside on air and the Tory candidate mentioned the phrase ‘there is no such thing as a such factor as a free faculty meal’.”

Nevertheless, Susan Corridor insisted that she had “mentioned all alongside” that she would proceed the coverage, which she then mentioned she would decide to for one 12 months, however maintained the opinion that there’s “no such factor as a free meal”. 

Talking at a latest London mayoral election debate on ITV about free faculty meals, Corridor argued the “high quality of the meals aren’t good” and that the cash may very well be “focused on the children that basically want it” slightly than universally.

Khan has pledged to increase free faculty meals to all main faculty youngsters and the Inexperienced candidate Zoe Garbett has mentioned she intends to increase free faculty meals to secondary faculty youngsters. 

The Nationwide Chair of Jewish Labour Motion group mentioned: “I used to be on the @JewishLondon hustings barely 10 days in the past when Susan Corridor mentioned there was no such factor as a free lunch. What a U-turn!

“The get together which gave us Liz Truss needs to foist this totally hopeless candidate on London. Speaks volumes abt how Sunak regards our metropolis.”

One X person commented: “Susan Corridor doesn’t have to be crushed by one other candidate, she is shedding the race all on her personal.”

One other X person said: “Susan Corridor is a strolling automotive crash.”

Free faculty meals had been launched final September as a one-year emergency measure to assist households within the cost-of-living disaster. Offering free faculty meals for all main faculty youngsters is considered one of Khan’s key mayoral pledges as he seeks a 3rd time period. 

(Picture credit score: LBC / YouTube screenshot)

Hannah Davenport is information reporter at Left Foot Ahead

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