Yet another scandal breaks relating to the UK Tory government’s actions in addressing free school meals in England during lockdown.

Social media has been awash with pictures of private companies’ “food hampers” ranging from paltry amounts of basic foods to bagged portions of tuna scooped from a tin and half a carrot.

This is what passes for acceptable standards when the market that allegedly offers us value for money via competition becomes infested with cronyism and deregulation.

Approximately £6 is spent on some of these hampers, yet companies like Chartwells are being paid £30 per hamper from the public purse.

A quick Google of Chartwells reveals they are part of the Compass Group who have strong connections to the Tory party as well as being generous donors.

One of the Tory slogans in the 2019 general election campaign was “Britain Deserves Better”.

A slogan I agree with, yet since then we have witnessed the disastrous Brexit deal, which we have yet to feel the full impact of, though Scotland’s fishing industry is starting to feel the pain; the allocation of government contracts for PPE to Tory donors who made millions in profit, by-passing the procurement process; and the £96 million contract handed to Computacenter to supply devices for home learning without competitive tendering.

The company founder is another Tory donor.

And at Wednesday’s Prime Minister’s Questions, SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford told the Prime Minister about the impact Brexit red tape is having on Scotland’s fishing and seafood sector.

It is reported that the industry is losing £1 million a day as a result.

This serious matter was disregarded by the PM, who chose to attack Mr Blackford and the SNP instead.

Is this what is meant by the “Brexit dividend” we heard repeatedly during the campaign and since?

Another slogan repeated in the campaign was “taking back control”- I suspect those in the fishing and seafood industry who supported Brexit are now kicking themselves for believing the slogans sprinkled around by Brexiteers and beamed into our homes by complicit media outlets like the BBC, which is run by yet another Tory donor.

My wish for 2021, aside from people staying safe and healthy, is that the people of the UK turn off these propaganda outlets, inform themselves, demand an end to chumocracy and hold accountable those elected to represent our best interests.

My fear if we don’t is that grievous acts of self harm will continue to be inflicted on our country and communities while our Tory government facilitates profiteering off the backs of hungry children.