Keir Starmer Defends Private School Fee VAT Policy: ‘Every Parent Has Aspiration For Their Children’

Husain says he is an “average working parent” and sends his daughter to private school, but Labour’s plan to impose VAT on private school fees will “price” his family “out”.

Keir Starmer responded by saying that he “recognise[s]” parents “work hard and save hard” to send their children to private school, but adds that “every parent has aspiration for their children”.

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[DonnaGilding]

Keir Starmer has nothing against private schools?
Of course he doesn’t because his last two years were spent in one when his grammar school became an independent one and he was happy for the school to pay for his bursary. Two years of free private education for Starmer and then on to Oxford but heaven forbid todays kids get those opportunities…a man after Corbyn’s heart.

[fleuratkinson]

Why remove the tax break for private schools but not universities? Politics of envy.

[SoloSi]

It's often the after school clubs that attract parents to private schools. Eg, Doctors that save lives. Not something Labour would care about. Also, what about the tax break on university fees? Come on, make it fair across the board. Will state schools now provide the services that private schools do? There are doctors out there that simply couldn't function without private education. Who needs doctors though?

[SaqibSheikh]

what a terrible policy. will just push more kids into our state schools

[Sheets-qipu]

Tax paying parents are already helping the state by not sending their kids to state!! It would otherwise cost the state 7.5k annually so why so we be double penalised by a selfish vote seeking policy that is 100% sure to backfire on all students.
1) exodus of kids leaving state
2) increase burden on state sector
3) parents who originally were using state will just buy houses in the best school catchment areas, making it even more difficult for other families to buy in best school locations
4) property prices going up in good catchment schools
5) all kids have their studies impacted and destroyed!
6) well done SIR Keir, you in Parliament now HOW are you going to fix this

If you were really in favour of this policy as a gesture of good will your wife should be forced to pay back taxes on her private school education!!!!

[andrewpopely]

Why should parents who work hard and sacrifice to afford to give their kids the best chance they can, pay for kids whose parents don’t make these sacrifices? This is genuinely not fair. Instead of this, stop paying the lazy to stay at home and not contribute toward society, only take from it, and use this money to fund your extra teachers. Also what about the tax money saved by kids going to independent schools? See how this never gets mentioned. Labour is anti success. The best way to survive a labour government? Give up work and become dole scum.

[amyyan]

Slapping VAT on private school fees will make the schools even more exclusive and elitist. At my daughter’s school, around 19% of pupils will be leaving for the state sector within a year or two. The parents being priced out seem to be the ones on doctors’ salaries or other middle class professions. This policy has already FAILED

[elizabethpointing]

Hope Stammer can provide sufficent places in schools for all these children who can no longer afford private school and the right teacher to student ratios after extra kids join state schools

[brutuslongsword]

my kids go to state school, so this doesn't affect me but I think its a very poor idea indeed. many children will be forced out of Private, they will go to state school, and there arent enough places as it is meaning that class sizes will grow even further and results will suffer. Not to mention this is further divides the haves and have nots in the UK making it even more difficult for state school kids to get decent

[listerjones]

The problem with socialist labour is they eventually run out of other peoples money. Kier Starmer literally gave no concern to that man and what he is working so hard for in giving his children private educations, he is clearly going without things in life to give them that opportunity and Starmergeddon is already taking its toll.

[macsmiffy]

He should spend the money on assessing children’s special needs. It takes 3-4 on average to get an assessment for ADHD or Autism. It takes far too long.

[MWB_logic_reason_respect]

So why not charge VAT on these VAt excempt service if more money is needed: Financial Services: This includes most banking, insurance, and investment services.

Examples: Loans, savings accounts, insurance premiums, and investment advice.

Education and Training: Educational services provided universities, private tuition and other educational institutions are exempt.


Healthcare Services: Medical services provided by registered health professionals.

Examples: Services by doctors, dentists, and opticians.


Charitable Activities: Certain activities carried out by charities.

Examples: Fundraising events and sales of donated goods by charity shops.


Cultural Services: Services provided by non-profit organizations in the cultural sector.

Examples: Admission to museums, art galleries, and zoos, provided they are non-profit.


Property Transactions: Most sales, leases, and rentals of land and buildings.

Examples: The sale of a house and long-term lease agreements.

???

[Moodyblue-on]

Get the school to invoice for the coming full school year on the 3rd. July 2024 - NO VAT. So forget how many kids are taken out of private school, ask Starmer has he "fully costed" that scenario into his bull shit manifesto. Oh, and just in case you're wondering, it's already happening out there in the private school sector.

[MBReader]

If state school parents paid £40-£50 a month fees to their schools (A Sky Sports subscription) their kids could be in classes of 20.

[SoloSi]

Extra VAT? What's the big deal? In 2011, Osborne raised it to 20%. Where's the proof that extracting more VAT will help state schools? Either that or we've already paid the bill!

[gherkamum]

Labour make massive mistake on VAT on private schools..

[markharris]

Old Labour may have been stuck in the past but they weren't spiteful.

[gulagga]

School can buy Teslas for teachers on salary sacrifice, reclaim VAT and pass it to clients in discounts. Besides, 20% is not much.

[rojavida]

I have just lost my job thanks to “political changes”. Thanks Labour!

[elizabethpointing]

Stammer needs to look at what happens to children. He is bent on usinfg funds to supply teachers let us have an independent organization audit this goverment and this goverment to reverts VAT criteria