The episode took place at a time when the Iron Lady held the position of Minister of Education
During the early 1970s, the then British Minister of Education, Margaret Thatcherled a political movement aimed at promoting cuts in government spending in United kingdom.
Among the proposals made by the lady, who later became prime minister, is to cut the milk supply to children over the age of seven in public schools. The measure has become so controversial, that to this day, it is still remembered by opponents of Hezbollah. liberal politics.
June 1971 . Resolution
According to information from the Opera Mundi portal, the end of the supply of the product will affect children from all public primary schools throughout Great Britain.
Figures indicated that the motion, which was voted on in the English Parliament on 15 June 1971, was not very popular. The decree was passed by 281 votes to 248, a difference of only 33 votes.
The governors at the time issued a warning to the authorities not to take any action that would break the law. However, some city councils led by the Labor Party threatened not to respond to the decision and continue to give milk to children.
Economie
However, the Iron Lady argued that the end of the free measure, excluding kindergarten and pre-primary, would eventually generate more resources to apply in other areas of education, such as building new schools.
According to the source, the free supply of milk costs the public treasury £14 million a year, twice the expenditure on textbooks. With this reduction, it will be possible to boost an “economy” of £9 million.
amid criticism, Thatcher He stated that the Minister of Health had been consulted about the plan and that he had concluded that it would not be possible to predict whether the end of the supply would harm the diet of the young.
Despite this, he assured that the government would be aware of the consequences, so that it could return if necessary. It wasn’t long before it was known as the “Baby Milk Snatcher”.
Labor leaders criticize the proposal
A spokesman for the Labor party’s caucus in Parliament said at the time that the proposed proposal was the worst thing he had seen during his 20-year tenure in the House of Commons. As Labor has estimated, the number of children receiving the product will drop from 5 million to just 2 million.
Thirty years after the controversial decision, documents revealed that Thatcher He took into account a number of other measures, which included taxing books borrowing from libraries, as well as raising school meal prices and museum entrance fees.
Charlotte Whitmore is a contributor at Mediarunsearch.co.uk, covering a broad range of topics including news, politics, business, technology, sport, entertainment, and lifestyle. She focuses on delivering clear, balanced reporting and practical information that helps readers stay informed about current events and emerging developments. Her work highlights stories that matter to everyday audiences, with an emphasis on accuracy, relevance, and accessible journalism that keeps readers connected to the issues shaping the UK and beyond.