British government rejects Rashford's latest bid to prevent child hunger

The British government set another hurdle in front of Marcus Rashford's fight against child poverty on Thursday, but the Manchester United and England forward isn't going down without a fight.

In June, Rashford pressured Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Conservative party to reverse its decision to end a meal voucher scheme over the summer holidays, which ensured 1.3 million children didn't face the fear of going hungry. Rashford's work was recognized with an MBE - an appointment to the Order of the Britsh Empire - from Queen Elizabeth II last Friday following a recommendation from Johnson.

However, Johnson's spokesperson rejected Rashford's call for the government to continue providing free meals and activities for children from disadvantaged families during other holidays. That decision has prompted the 22-year-old to force Downing Street to reconsider its stance once again. Rashford's latest drive is now set for a parliamentary debate thanks to his online petition, which has garnered over 100,000 signatures and counting.

"100K in less than a day," Rashford tweeted. "The bigger the number the louder the voice ... We're not stopping here - please sign and keep sharing."

Rashford also raised around £20 million in June to provide three million meals for vulnerable people amid the financial crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic.