JEREMY CORBYN’S £1bn plan for a tax raid on private schools to fund free state school meals looks like a vote winner.

At least, it looks like a winner if you are one of the 93 per cent of parents who send their children to a state school.

Currently, all children in reception, year one and year two are eligible for a free meal through the universal infant free school meal scheme introduced by the last Government.

But only youngsters whose parents are receiving benefits – and earn less than £16,119 – qualify for free school meals after year two.

Nearly 20,000 children in County Durham are classed as living in poverty. For some, a school dinner is the only well-balanced meal they get.

Despite that, some families choose not to take up the offer because a free school meal still carries a social stigma. Extending eligibility to everyone will poverty proof free meals by removing the negative connotations. It will also help the offspring of Mrs May’s “just about managing” generation.

Free meals can play a key role in the fight against obesity by weaning children off sugary snacks. School dinners have to meet strict Government guidelines on nutrition.

The danger in making private schools pay for all this is that tuition fees will inevitably have to rise to meet the cost – potentially pricing middle class parents out of fee-paying education altogether.

But surely it is better to raise up the education system so all children can benefit from a better education even if it means some youngsters have to return to the state sector?

Poverty is the single greatest barrier to academic success in Britain’s classrooms.

Unless our politicians do something to tackle social inequality they are damaging the life chances of a generation of young people who have the misfortune to come from a less well-off background.