Marcus Rashford should set up a rival test and trace that works just as badly. Maybe then kids could eat this winter

The best of Voices delivered to your inbox every week - from controversial columns to expert analysis Sign up for our free weekly Voices newsletter for expert opinion and columns Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. He probably feels that’s what people in Manchester should do, so they’ll be fine as long as they’re prepared to write editorials with headlines like: “Balance of trade’s gonna be sound after Brexit, mate, stock market’s gonna be banging, know what I mean?” Marcus Rashford has made a similar mistake. Tory MP Brendan Clarke-Smith explained his opposition to Marcus Rashford’s proposal for £15 food vouchers for hungry children, saying: “I do not believe in nationalising children.” This is why, in the 1930s, when kids were starving with rickets, they would splutter joyfully between rasping coughs, “at least I’m not nationalised”. That was the problem with Dickensian London, it was too kind to children.” Maybe the government should outsource the feeding of children to the same companies they’ve contracted to track and trace, like Serco. Because it’s only when you’re clever enough that you understand how important it is for people worth millions of pounds to deny hungry kids a £15 food voucher.