Labour will not back down on plans to tax private schools, its education spokesman declared yesterday.
Bridget Phillipson vowed to ‘make the change that matters’ despite widespread criticism from private school bosses, who say the policy will impact disadvantaged students.
Ms Phillipson added that she was proud to be ‘chippy’, after reports suggested officials at the Independent Schools Council (ISC) used the term to describe her in private messages.
Rallying the crowd in Liverpool, she said: ‘Conference, we know what the private schools lobby think of our ambition.
‘They were arrogant enough to write it down. “Chippy”.
‘And if they or anyone else doubt my determination to deliver on our dream, then I have a message for them.
Bridget Phillipson vowed to ‘make the change that matters’ despite widespread criticism from private school bosses
Labour has U-turned on plans to abolish the charitable status of private schools
‘Chippy people make the change that matters. I will make the change that matters.
‘Together we will make the change the matters.
‘We will end the tax breaks that private schools enjoy to deliver high and rising standards, in every school for every child.’
Labour has U-turned on plans to abolish the charitable status of private schools.
However, it will press ahead with its proposals to charge private schools 20 per cent VAT and scrap the 80 per cent relief they receive on business rates.
Independents can register as charities in return for acts that benefit the local community, such as sharing their facilities with state schools.
But the changes mean bursars could be forced to hike charges from as early as next September – effectively pricing families out of fee-paying schools.
Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said the policy was ‘crowd-pleasing’ but lacked detail.
He said: ‘It’s good to see labour policy coalescing. The emphasis on early years will be certainly welcome because if we get these foundations right then we pre-empt those problems later on.
Labour will press ahead with its proposals to charge private schools 20 per cent VAT and scrap the 80 per cent relief they receive on business rates. Pictured: Independent boarding school Eton College
‘The independent school stuff played well in the hall but our view is can you show us you working, please?
‘The unintended consequences are some private schools close and those young people moving into the state sector clearly will create costs.
‘It’s a crowd-pleasing policy but there is a lack of detail around how much funding it can generate and what really can be bought.’
The party’s war against the sector was laid bare this week when some 40 MPs including several shadow cabinet ministers refused to show up to an independent school reception.
Bosses were left furious that not a single MP showed up, while the ISC, which hosted the reception, said it was ‘disappointed’.
Reacting to Ms Phillipson’s swipe, an ISC spokesman said: ‘We share Labour’s goal of wanting the best outcomes for every child and we have been consistent in our offer to work together towards achieving this.’
Ms Phillipson also unveiled plans to water down Rishi Sunak’s maths to 18 pledge, unveiling plans to ramp up the subject in primary schools.
The Labour frontbencher said her party would aim to promote practical numeracy skills needed at work and in daily life ‘right from the start’ of school.
Sir David Bell, the former permanent secretary at the Department for Education and former chief inspector of schools, will lead the plan.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Dailymail.co.uk
Content source – www.soundhealthandlastingwealth.com
