Many people are in need thanks to Covid-19 – we should be supporting as many as we can, especially children

The coronavirus pandemic has turned me into a nicer person. A year ago, I didn’t say hello to total strangers when shopping or walking – preferring to keep myself to myself. You might think that was a bit weird, but I’ve never been keen on small talk.

But living through Covid-19 has changed that. The new skill I’ve learnt since lockdown is to offer a few words when buying a newspaper, paying for petrol and picking up food for supper, all spoken from behind a clammy paper mask. I’m conscious I could be meeting someone who has spent 24 hours all alone, with only the radio or telly for company.

Prince William drew attention this week to the huge increase in mental illness resulting from the current restrictions, agreeing that we could be heading for a “catastrophe” if people are not allowed to socialise. There’s been a number of suicides among students, and a new study estimates one in six children are suffering from mental issues.

Perhaps the only “good” emerging from the virus is that we’re more mindful of those who are struggling to cope. Britain has always been a caring society and a kind society – but it’s not reflected in our political leaders. What I see is bossiness (a continuing misguided belief that they know best). The end result will be social unrest, because some sections of the population (the young) and some businesses (hospitality) are being targeted disproportionately.

On the surface, our leaders might seem empathetic, but it’s only skin deep. Boris Johnson spent his press conference last Tuesday “thanking” local council leaders for cooperating with increased restrictions, “thanking” all of us for being so meek and passive and complying (even though we know that lockdowns only delay the inevitable) and “thanking” all those wonderful workers who keep the NHS running.

But when a member of the public complained that she had not been able to visit her mother (who has dementia) in a care home since March and wanted to know when that might change, she didn’t get the courtesy of a reply to the one question millions want answered. On balance, which is more cruel? Possible infection or deprivation of touch? When a member of the press asked Johnson if he had actually visited Manchester since the pandemic began, he ignored her too.

Phoney thanks has replaced apologising when ministers haven’t anything better to say and you haven’t come up with a strategy that is likely to succeed – especially when it comes to allowing contact with the vulnerable elderly.

Johnson’s brand of humanity doesn’t run more than skin deep; if it did he would have allowed Tory MPs a free vote on Labour’s bill to extend school meals over the holidays this week. After a popular campaign by footballer Marcus Rashford (who grew up benefitting from school meals), the bill would have introduce food vouchers for poorer families during holidays until Easter. Five Tory MPs defied the prime minister, but the proposal was defeated by 261 to 322. Sixty-one Tory MPs are comfortable knowing that poor children (over 2 million receive free school meals) will struggle on empty stomachs out of term time, and God knows how they will celebrate Christmas.

Tories argue that by supporting low-income families, the state is increasing dependency, and help already exists in the form of universal credit and other benefits. Some Tories seem to believe that registering a child for free school meals is a perk, not a necessity, and the state should not intervene because parenting is none of their business.

So why did they support the scheme for a limited period in the first place? There’s also a feeling that pop stars and sporting heroes (like Rashford) shouldn’t get involved in politics. Funny how the same group of MPs fawn all over royalty when William and Kate increasingly speak out on mental health and child care issues.  

In the meals debate Tory MP Brendan Clarke-Smith said: “I do not believe in nationalising children. Instead, we need to get back to the idea of taking responsibility, and that means less celebrity virtue-signalling on Twitter by proxy and more action to tackle the real causes of child poverty.”  David Simmonds accused Labour of “currying favour with wealth and power and celebrity status”. It took another Tory, Robert Halfon, who chairs the Commons education committee, to strike some balance: “If we acknowledge that children risk going hungry in term time by providing them with free school meals, despite the provision of universal credit and the other things that have been mentioned by the government, we know that they risk going hungry in the holidays too.”

Halford proposed using some of the estimated £340m set to be received from the sugar tax to fund the food vouchers. Actually, the notion of nationalising children is a brilliant idea. Why trust parents to feed, clothe, educate and instil social values in their kids when the results only end in social division, and an increasing gap between rich and poor? If we regard children as state assets, then it’s a no-brainer to see that they must be nurtured and given equality of opportunity.

Complaining about poor parenting skills (as teachers regularly do) at a time when millions of parents face redundancy and women are patching together several low-income jobs on zero hours contracts to earn enough to feed and clothe their kids and pay the rent seems churlish and unrealistic. Why not accept that – as we enter a period of austerity and high unemployment – the state has to play an increased role in ensuring the next generation will have the best chance of acquiring the skills to rebuild Britain post-Covid?

The state should be providing free school meals for all, starting the school day with breakfast. The school day should be extended and include practical skills, mechanics, cookery and more sport. School needs to be rebranded as the university for life, starting with primary education.

Of course, teachers will complain about hours and pay and staffing shortages and politicians say we can’t afford it – but we can find the money to keep pubs open, we can find billions to invest in a crap test and trace system.

Let’s nationalise kids and invest all we can in supporting and realising their potential – they are the best asset we’ve got left.