FREE meals will be dished out to every primary school child in Inverclyde if the SNP take control of the council next month.

The SNP is standing 12 candidates across the district’s seven wards with 22 seats up for grabs.

Group leader Chris McEleny will today launch his party’s manifesto and the free meals policy will be one of the key pledges.

Mr McEleny, who is seeking re-election in Gourock, said: “Giving every young person an equal opportunity to fulfil their potential is absolutely paramount to the SNP.

“We will extend free school meal entitlement to all primary school children, under the SNP every single primary school child in Inverclyde will be entitled to a free school meal.

“We believe this is a policy that will have so many positive effects.

“It will help remove the barriers of poverty, it will assist the health and wellbeing of Inverclyde’s children by ensuring that they all receive a healthy meal during the school day, and we believe the evidence is there that it will help every child attain a better education.

“This will be one of many key priorities that I will set out that if successful the SNP will deliver for Inverclyde.”

Mr McEleny, who has been the council opposition leader for the last four years, has also promised to invest in education, roads and protect vital public services should he become the next local authority leader.

He said: “Our challenge, as the SNP group seeking your mandate, is to treat Inverclyde with the respect it deserves: to set our hearts and our heads on making Inverclyde the best place to raise a family, to start a business, to live a good life, a place we are proud to call home.

“Social justice will be the driving force behind a new SNP-run council.

“Creating a fairer and more equal Inverclyde is the thread that runs through our entire manifesto.

“We will invest in education, protect vital public services, invest in roads, and empower Inverclyde’s communities and so much more.”