Unpalatable

Like most politicians, Ruth Kelly is hungry to gain credit for popular policies. But it is a bit much for the Education Secretary to claim joint credit - along with Jamie Oliver - for drawing attention to the appalling state of school dinners. The Government has ignored this problem for years, and without the chef's campaign, it is unlikely that there would have been a £280m rescue package yesterday - despite what Tony Blair and Ms Kelly claim. We should be thankful that Mr Oliver has succeeded. It is just a shame it was necessary for a celebrity chef to point out the scandal before the Government even admitted there was a problem.

Like most politicians, Ruth Kelly is hungry to gain credit for popular policies. But it is a bit much for the Education Secretary to claim joint credit - along with Jamie Oliver - for drawing attention to the appalling state of school dinners. The Government has ignored this problem for years, and without the chef's campaign, it is unlikely that there would have been a £280m rescue package yesterday - despite what Tony Blair and Ms Kelly claim. We should be thankful that Mr Oliver has succeeded. It is just a shame it was necessary for a celebrity chef to point out the scandal before the Government even admitted there was a problem.