I was pleased to see Jeremy Corbyn launch Labour’s plan to fund free school meals through a tax raid on private schools.

Readers may not be aware of all the controversy surrounding the exemption of VAT on private school fees. Labour is right to axe this exemption with a bold policy that will benefit families. Angela Rayner, Labour's shadow education secretary, has highlighted evidence from the National Centre for Social Research and the Institute for Fiscal Studies which shows that making access to free school meals a universal entitlement significantly boosts pupils’ performance.

No child in should go hungry at school. Charging VAT on private schools fees, can help ensure that all primary school children, no matter what background, get a healthy mid-day meal. The next Labour government will provide all primary school children with a free school meal, invest in our schools, and make sure no child is held back because of their background. In 2004 the Blair government tightened the law with a “public benefit test”, under which fee-paying schools had to do more to justify the retention of tax breaks in return for contributing to the common good. I am pleased that Labour now wants to go much further.

Angela Rayner has set out the VAT plan and the need for investment in school dinners by highlighting Tory cuts to the schools budgets. The Conservatives offer tax giveaways to billionaire friends and supporters whilst cutting schools budgets. It is only through investing in our education system and providing free school meals for every primary school child, that we can begin to remove the stigma attached to free school dinners, and improve health and attainment for all children.

Joan Pritchard-Jones

Deane