Conservative politicians have accused the UK's Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, of waging a "vindictive class war" with her plan to levy VAT on private school fees. The criticism comes as Phillipson's family's substantial profit from the sale of a council house, which she grew up in, has been highlighted.
Tory shadow minister James Cleverly stated that Phillipson's agenda is not aimed at raising funds or recruiting teachers, but at "punishing" families who choose independent schools. He suggested the policy serves only to "scratch a party-political itch." Cleverly also addressed comparisons of Phillipson to a "Gestapo officer" over the tax, stating that while he would not use that specific phrasing, he agreed that the policies are "vindictive" and part of a "class war."
Cleverly's remarks were made in response to comments from Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch. He defended Badenoch's characterization of the policies as "vindictive" and focused on "class war," arguing that Phillipson is "vilified" by the Labour Party for pointing this out.
The Labour Party's manifesto proposed the VAT on private school fees, effective from January 2025, to fund 6,500 new teachers in the state sector. However, recent figures indicate a reduction of 1,900 teachers in mainstream schools over the past year, raising questions about this claim. An X post by Phillipson was flagged as inaccurate by users for stating there were "3,008 more teachers in secondaries and special schools," with the Department for Education clarifying that this figure does not include primary schools and uses a pre-election baseline.
The controversy intensified with the revelation that Phillipson's mother purchased her council house in Washington, Tyne and Wear, in 1990 for £9,600 under the right-to-buy scheme. The property was later sold in May 2023 for £99,950, representing a profit of over 900 percent.
Meanwhile, Labour's Social Housing Bill, currently before Parliament, aims to restrict the right-to-buy scheme. The proposed legislation would extend the required residency period from three to ten years and significantly reduce discounts, starting at five percent and capping at fifteen percent. Ministers argue these changes are necessary to increase the stock of social housing, projecting a reduction in sales from approximately 8,200 per year to around 850.
A spokesperson for Phillipson responded to the Conservative criticism, calling it a "vile smear campaign" and accusing the Tories of "hating working class people that do well." The spokesperson stated that "No amount of smears or hateful personal attacks is going to stop Bridget Phillipson delivering better life chances for working class families denied opportunity by fourteen years of Tory austerity."
