A Corbynista councillor has retracted a leaflet claiming the Conservatives are “starving our children” and “a vote for the conservatives is a step towards child poverty”. The flyer, delivered in Jack Dromey’s constituency in Birmingham, repeats the debunked claim that the Tories “took away free school meals from 1,000,000 children”. Independent Channel 4 FactCheck probed that claim and found:

“No one who is currently eligible for free school meals under Universal Credit will lose their entitlement. In fact, under Universal Credit, 50,000 more children will receive school meals by 2022 than would have done under the previous benefits system. This is not a case of the government taking free school meals from a million children who are currently receiving them: it’s about comparing two future, hypothetical scenarios. Both of them are more generous than the old benefits system.”

The leaflet mobilises children, claiming in capital letters:

“Conservatives have decided to hold back the food we have… Even if you don’t have a child who will go without, you will know someone who will.”

It exhorts voters to “share” the false claim about free school meals “on social media networks”…

Last night Cllr Clinton suggested she will “retract” the leaflet, but also said she would only do so if “a retraction of the press is issued.” Besides, it has already been delivered…