Labour’s plans to start charging VAT on private schools is an attempt to “tickle the bellies” of the left of the party, the children’s minister has claimed.
In an interview with i, David Johnston said Labour’s flagship education policy would “raise hardly any money” and shows the Shadow Cabinet “need to get back to school”.
Labour intends to introduce 20 per cent VAT on private school fees immediately if it comes to power, which it hopes will raise an extra £1.7bn for state education.
The Shadow Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, has said it would be enacted within the first year of a Labour government.
Labour has promised to spend the money on plans to recruit 6,500 new teachers into the sector and offer new starters a £2,400 bonus to stop them from leaving the profession.
The party also wants to create a new national “oracy” programme to raise language standards, and to ensure all schools in England have access to mental health counselling.
But Mr Johnston accused Sir Keir Starmer of spending the cash “multiple times”. He told i: “I think it’s very much to tickle the bellies of the left of the Labour party.
“After 14 years of opposition, they should really have a better set of policies than that.
“It probably wouldn’t raise any money, they’ve spent it multiple times. If that’s all you can say about the whole breadth of education policy, I think you need to get back to school.”
A report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) published in July found that Labour’s estimates were broadly accurate, though it said any exodus from the private school sector into state schools could impact the benefit.
