A UK mum has gone viral after slamming the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations on a Twitter thread, arguing that the £12 million spent on a commemorative book for school children could instead have helped struggling families.
In the thread, which has attracted over 40,000 likes, genocide researcher Arnesa Buljušmić-Kustura criticised the gifts her daughter received at school ahead of the four day Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
Buljušmić-Kustura wrote: "My daughter got a Platinum Jubilee book about the Queen, she also got a nice mug w/ the Queen's face on it. The book was sent to all kids in the UK and it cost 12 million pounds to do that. Some of her classmates only get to eat during the free school lunch they get."
The outspoken mum pointed out the hypocrisy of the extravagant gifts, stating in a follow up tweet that some of her daughter's classmates are forced to 'share their bedroom with three other kids, their two-bed apartment with parents, grandparents, siblings too and sometimes a cousin or two'.
In another tweet she told fellow Twitter users how some children cannot afford to go on school trips or new school uniforms, despite their parents working multiple jobs.
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She wrote: "But hey... the £12 million book was a special memory they’ll never forget... while they barely survive.”
Continuing the thread, the mum also blamed the conspicuous gift expenditure for exacerbating the cost of living crisis.
Buljušmić-Kustura added: "I also have to say... it doesn’t come easy to me either as we are struggling to pay for our extortionate visa fees in order to stay in the country, while we struggle with the rising cost of living, and as we continue to pay double tax, double NHS surcharges. But hey... nice book!
Unsurprisingly, her candid thread has left Twitter users divided, with one critic writing: "That’s what parents are for feeding kids, not the govt. And if you are not aware it is said that £6.4bn will be pumped into the economy this year due to the celebrations."
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However, Activist Howard Beckett agreed with the mum writing: "On a day of Jubilee celebrations, that will cost £50ml, for a family worth hundreds of millions, who we give £87.5ml of tax payers money to each year; it’s worth remembering there will be 17 year olds forced to work today on a minimum wage of £4.81 an hour."
According to Lancs Live, the extravagant show of parades and planes will cost UK taxpayers an eye-watering £28 million. However, The Guardian has reported that the Jubilee is expected to boost the UK and retail industry by £6 billion, as Brits take advantage of the four-day bank holiday by splashing out on street parties and nights out.
A government spokesperson told LADbible that no Department for Education programmes had been cut to fund the production of the commemorative Jubilee book, adding that the £12 million fund is to develop, print and distribute the book for children in state-funded primary schools.
They added that the Platinum Jubilee is 'an important part of the national social recovery programme after Covid-19'.
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Speaking more generally on the cost of living crisis, the spokesperson said: "We recognise that millions of households across the UK are struggling to make their incomes stretch to cover the rising cost of living, which is why, in addition to the over £22 billion announced previously, we are providing over £15 billion in further support, targeted particularly on those with the greatest need.
"We have also expanded access to free school meals more than any other government in recent decades, currently reaching over 1.7 million eligible children.
"The Holiday Activities and Food programme runs during major school holidays, and wider welfare support is available through the Household Support Fund, which helps vulnerable families in need with essentials, such as food and utility bills."
Shiala Mahmood