You may be aware that Labour’s master stroke to relieve the state school sector of the many problems that have mired it — hiring 6,500 new teachers (1.5 per school), introducing free breakfast clubs for all pupils, and improving nurseries and childminding — involves slapping independent schools with 20 per cent VAT. How much money will this raise? If you ask your local Labour ideologue £1.7bn is the figure thrown about, or around 2.3 per cent of the current budget for English Schools.
Unjustly Scapegoated
Why am I — and countless others — being so nonchalantly punished in favour of schemes that only partially fund the growing black hole in the public finances? Ever since the ‘Town Hall’ debate with Beth Rigby, the rationale to tax private schools largely comes from Keir Starmer’s utter contempt for all independent schools. The Prime Minister believes that ‘every parent has aspirations for their children,’ working hard to send them to school. I beg to differ with this viewpoint. Every child goes to school simply because it is compulsory and not necessarily because their parents place special value on their education.
The ultimate goal of independent schools is made clear by their harbouring of the intelligent, and those with musical, dramatic or sporting talents. One-third of pupils in private schools require ‘fee assistance,’ yet their financial insecurity is seen as mere collateral damage for advocates of the VAT. It currently costs around £8,000 to fund a state school place annually. It costs on average £15,200 to see your kid through one year of private school — almost 90 per cent more than state school spending per pupil. Parents whose children are in the private school system already pay the equivalent of two academic places for one child. Now they are being told to pay an additional tax for the ‘privilege’ of being charged double.
A Detrimental Tax
If Labour genuinely cared about education, they would not inundate struggling parents with a 20 per cent tax. I am no independent school elitist. My position as a private school pupil is a precarious one, and my school is no Eton. But this reality doesn’t fit Labour’s narrative in which all independent schools are elite incubation centres for corrupt grubby men that perpetuate each others’ standing. Perhaps it’s no coincidence then that Labour’s cabinet ticks all of their desired educational boxes: state school attendee (preferably a comprehensive), even better if you departed education at 16!
The rhetoric utilised by Labour to construct misleading justification harms independent school pupils. Bridget Philipson’s claim that ‘Our students need careers advice more than private schools need AstroTurf pitches’ reveals Labour’s prejudices and the true reasoning behind this draconian policy. This is good old culture war fuelling. Saying that only state school pupils are ‘our’ pupils effectively disowns pupils who happen to go to an independent school. Some might approve of this ‘Us’ vs ‘Them’ rhetoric, but that’s no way to build a cohesive society.
An Urgent Plea!
For many parents, there will be no way out but to sacrifice and pay the extortionate tax. A sacrifice which, bear in mind, many would never have needed to make if New Labour didn’t suffocate the Assisted Places Scheme with the aim of ‘stopping elitism.’
In the era of a government of ‘national renewal,’ our lives should not be dictated by biased ideology and petty discourse. The basic right to education and the right to a choice of educational institution should not be made punishable by taxation. And yet Labour is doing just that.
I apologise for having to make this urgent plea on behalf of the 7 per cent of the country in private schooling. But given the circumstances, I feel this to be a necessary course of action. The cynic within me believes this policy was made with the sole intention of trying to stoke and perpetuate a culture war that Keir Starmer said he would end. Under the guise of giving equal opportunities, this tax is part of Labour’s innate instinct to wage war with its sworn enemy: the private sector. And who are the victims of this new culture war? Us, the children.
If democracy is meant to be by the people and for the people, ignoring the cries of so many without even a consultation seems both politically and morally wrong.
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