Lib Dem conference: Nick Clegg to announce free school meals for all infant school pupils

Nick Clegg has had a good party conference, and wants to round it off with an announcement that will leave a warm glow in delegates’ tummies. So he’s announcing free school meals for all children in infant school from next September.

This will be a key feature in the Deputy Prime Minister’s speech tomorrow afternoon, and also represents the key trade between the two coalition parties over tax breaks for married couples. The latter is likely to appear in a conference speech or two when the Tories meet in Manchester the week after next, and the Lib Dems have a provision in the Coalition Agreement that they will abstain on this policy. Clegg will attack the policy directly in his speech, saying:

‘The Conservatives, on the other hand, have made it clear that their priority is to help some families over others, with tax break for married couples. A tax break for some, funded through the taxes of others.