To ask if anyone is clued up on the challenge this week to VAT on school fees?

Why the passive aggressive assumption I voted Leave. But you missed Tory bot so you don't win a prize
FYI I have never, ever voted Tory/Reform or Leave.
Don't let that mess your brain up though

Maybe people should have thought of that before leaving the EU.

Luckily that nice Mr. Farage will get us out of that corrupt ECHR as soon as he is Prime Minister. Hurrah for common sense !

Or maybe just don't tax the thing that is an accepted principle across Europe to have a zero rating

Maybe not tax anything ?

Or simply don’t tax education and avoid creating the problem in the first place.

they don’t have to pay, if their feelings are so strong that they want a faith school they could move into the catchment of one elsewhere. Appreciate that’s not easy but it just gives another choice not the only choice as you say

You weren't talking about your county though, were you. It was a general statement you were making.

That's why 1legal challenge is from single sex angle ie protecting female only spaces and 1 is from religious pov because state doesn't offer Jewish or Muslim faith schools.

As I said, stick to facts.

You didn’t say in your county, though. You said “because state doesn't offer Jewish or Muslim faith schools.” Which is why I and others picked up on it.

The facts are that if parents in our county want a Jewish or Muslim faith school then they have to pay for independent because there are no state schools meeting this criteria. There is no state alternative.

The UK is bigger than 'your county'. Why not just stick to the facts?

Hmm not really, independent schools are not the ‘State’ and they increase education choice not limit it. I wouldn’t go down the lawyer route.

Seriously?? This has been explained so many times now, as well as links to the ECHR protocols to read for yourself. It’s a fact that non state interference in education choice is a human right covered under ECHR. It’s pointless just to keep saying it’s not.

‘use private education, just don’t whine about the cost.’
I’m from Yorkshire, I whine about the cost of everything.

If Starmer and Reeves have half a brain, they will make sure small religious schools are excluded and all children with SEND.
Yes they are going to end up with zero cash out of it, but that was always the case.

The alternative is a huge embarrassment in court all round and senior heads rolling for it.

“Immanuel College has launched a consultation into plans to shut its prep school at the end of the academic year.“

Labour VAT raid on private schools claims latest victim
Jewish prep school to close as critics claim policy risks pricing an entire community out of an education

In today’s online Telegraph.
“The Treasury rejected calls to exempt small faith schools from the VAT plans, despite granting a reprieve to pupils with severe special education needs and promising to boost support for military families.
In a document published alongside the Budget, the department concluded that “it is not apparent that small faith schools will be affected more by this policy than other schools”.
Mr Pinter said that “effectively what they’re doing is pricing us out of an education according to our religious beliefs”.
“After the Budget announcement, we met Treasury officials. Their response? ‘We’re sorry this didn’t go the way you wanted.’ But let’s be clear: this isn’t about a child being denied a pair of Apple AirPods. This is about thousands of Jewish children’s futures and their education on the line,” he said.
“What’s clear is that without immediate intervention, this policy risks pricing an entire community out of an education aligned with its religious values.””

https://www.thejc.com/family-and-education/vat-on-private-education-could-force-closure-of-strictly-orthodox-schools-fear-leaders-cyzqn695

There aren't any state Jewish or Muslim schools in our county. It is in the ECHR that parents can choose education provision without interference by the state.
It doesn't matter whether you agree with single sex or not.
The only opinion that counts is that of a court now.

@twistyizzy

But there are state Muslim and Jewish schools. However also most schools are fairly secular and parents can top up with their religion of choice outside of school hours. The state is not required to provide a religious education nor a single sex one (I don't agree with single sex education either, it's not natural and has caused problems for all the dc I know who went to said schools)

‘state doesn't offer Jewish or Muslim faith schools.
In some areas, they do.

Exactly - they do but also - schools should be SECULAR- leave the fairy tales to the churches, mosques and temples.

‘Incorrect, all children have a right for the state NOT TO DELIBERATELY INTERFERE in their education, ’

er, no they don’t. You keep your child
from school without good reason - the state ABSOLUTELY interferes. It’s a legal regiment to educate your child - if not at school then you have to prove they’re being home schooled adequately.

Still, you crack on with declaring ‘facts’ as they suit you.

Like I said, those are the reasons for which Lord Pannick previously advised Labour that they couldn't/shouldn't tax education.

It doesn't matter what you think to be honest.
I have no issue paying my general income tax, what I object to is paying an extra 20% tax to fund millionaires like Starmer, getting a free box of cereal for their kids. If you are going to start taxing education then means test it all.
If you want to pay more then contact HMRC and set up a monthly direct debit, you can also choose where your extra tax goes then too.
FYI this isn't ring fenced for education, it is going into general taxation pot and listen carefully to Labour's re-brand, you may be disappointed.

By that logic, schools charging for education are contravening the ECHR - denying a right to ethical or religious education to poor parents.

And frankly it's about time I stopped paying for life - it's my human right in the ECHR.

I should have been a lawyer.

Whatever anyone’s views on VAT, it helps for everyone to have accurate information.

state doesn't offer Jewish or Muslim faith schools.

In some areas, they do.

They want to rejig all of SEND and push some children out who are currently on state funded places as well to leave it just for the highest of needs.

All DC with SEN should have their needs met, but just to point out, this is not unique to Labour. The Conservatives also did exactly this. Some Safety Valve agreements unlawfully include limiting the numbers in independent placements &/or SS.

Parental choice is enshrined in the ECHR act though. So the state isn't allowed to interfere in choices made by parents according to ethical or religious stands.
So single sex schools/faith schools which aren't provided by the state.
That's why 1legal challenge is from single sex angle ie protecting female only spaces and 1 is from religious pov because state doesn't offer Jewish or Muslim faith schools.
The 3rd challenge is from SEN angle because state couldn't meet the needs of the DC of that parent.
By adding a tax onto fees at indy schools, the government is interfering in the choices of parents. As it goes against the agreed principle across Europe of not taxing education.

You may not agree with this but that's irrelevant. This will be decided in court at cost of ££ to taxpayer

And please could we stop pretending this is just about standard private schools? They want to rejig all of SEND and push some children out who are currently on state funded places as well to leave it just for the highest of needs. Kent County Council is going to be embroiled in a legal challenge, Bucks have also raised alarm bells about the very wide ramifications of this cruel and negligent policy and all the other stuff these numpties seem to have planned for our children.

Incorrect, all children have a right for the state NOT TO DELIBERATELY INTERFERE in their education, however it is funded. It is particularly cruel right now given the SEND crisis, attendance crisis and that Gen Z is the new silent generation due to Covid. The Government are being reckless to politically point score and are willing to sacrifice the mental health of countless children in pursuit of their own selfish agenda.