To marvel at privately educated Keir Starmer's hypocrisy?

[Bursarysadness]

Both Kier Starmer and his wife are privately educated. Kier's senior school converted into a private school in the second year of his attendance and he has received a generous full bursary up until his A levels. He has built his life and his success on this education, supported to the end by the bursary funded by the same schools and parents he is now trying to destroy. It pains me as my children receive 50% bursaries from a brilliant local school. We've worked incredibly hard to cover the remaining 50% but it has been worth it, seeing how my children blossomed. We had a very different experience in their primary state schools, including bullying and racism. We don't live in a great area. We have just been told that the school will probably reduce all their bursaries to be able to lower the fees for the non bursary parents who are now struggling because of the VAT introduction. I don't know what the future for my children is now and they have so many close friends where they are. They are both academically brilliant and work very hard - hence the bursaries were granted. I feel so depressed that, from what is becoming obvious, they won't be able to benefit from the generosity of bursaries the same way Kier Starmer did when he was a child ..

Should he have had his education disrupted by being moved?

But it’s ok to disrupt countless other DC’s education when they lose their bursaries and have to move.

Again, Kier is a massive hypocrite.

I’m not even concerned about the VAT anymore. With Kiers popularity imploding it’s only a matter of time before he’s turned on by his own party.

This isn't unique to state schools. There's actually more racism in private and boarding schools in my experience

Wishful thinking 🙄

This has been on the cards for a few years. Private schools are businesses and need to run as businesses and look after their customers

and they will make choices on who is more of value to them I am surprised any parent with a child/children at private school would believe any different

It’s all about the politics of envy. There is going to be more aspirational squashing policies to come .

I know ppl who went to school with Keir, everyone knew what was going to happen years before so were scrambling to get their kids in there on a freebie! None of this is as innocent as it sounds, he's a total hypocrite, how about his wife too. Take the benefit then pull up the stairs behind you so no one else can follow.

I would just ban private schools full stop - businesses promoting elitism.

As a child he would have had no say in his parents' choice of school.

Poor Keir. It must have been dreadful for him.

thumbs.dreamstime.com/b/reigate-grammar-school-surrey-united-kingdom-has-some-famous-former-students-such-as-uk-labour-party-leader-keir-starmer-188547730.jpg

It wdve been an assisted place at the time, labour abolished those.

With respect, your claim to know people who were at school with him is irrelevant. Not only because it is completely unsubstantiated but because, even if it was true, there would be no hypocrisy in Starmer holding different views from his parents.

What about his wife? She isn't in the cabinet as far as I'm aware?

And they should pay appropriately something which they have been getting away with for years.

What on earth do you mean pay my dues, how presumptuous.

Exactly. And so was John Prescott - failed his 11+ to a grammar school but worked fo achieve good education in the end. I respect it. Angela Rayner didn't. And guess what - John Prescott had a strong accent too! It's not about accent, it's not about background. Angela Rayner is a numpty. I've just watched her talk on Sky News about today's riots. She is embarrassing. She did her job - they needed her there to appeal to uneducated masses who related to her. Now she did her job and they won, she is almost invisible. She would embarrass them on the international stage

What is your experience of private and boarding schools?

Oh this old line

politics of envy 🙄 no it’s businesses paying what they should be paying

'The politics of envy' is such an asinine phrase

That isn't taking into account the kids who will leave for state school places which will need to be funded and probably wipe that amount off. So what is the point? It's been tried in Greece and proven to be a mess so cancelled. The overall effects on the state school system will be severe bt I guess labour haven't thought about that yet, or as they've said, they don't care!

How many private school kids are you expecting to move to state school, and on what do you base that estimate?

@mylifestory "he's a total hypocrite, how about his wife too."

A hypocrite because of where he was sent to school 50 years ago? And what about his wife?

It’s still an issue for some nonetheless.

What exactly have we been getting away with?! No country in Europe (or the rest of the World) charges VAT on education. Greece tried and failed miserably. Private school parents save the state money.

I'm so relieved I'm not the only one who finds Angel Rayner embarrassing. I cringe when I see her and listen to her. It's not about the accent or about her background. She is just simple. She is a one trick pony - she pushed the basic labour message for the elections but no way she can represent Britain externally. At least I hope. It's not snobbery. Academic qualifications are not be all end all but knowing history, geography, literature, culture etc gives you a much deeper understanding of the world. It also helps to relate to other cultures and it teaches you to express yourself - no matter what your accent is. And Boris was rightly criticized for his lack of understanding of basic scientific concepts during COVID. I wonder how she would do? If this is the person who represents what Britain is - it makes me very sad

Give up your Lattes, Sky TV and avocados.

I don't drink lattes, can't actually remember buying coffee out in the last months. I don't have sky but I have prime and Netflix because it's cheaper than going out. And I indulge in an occasional avocado - still cheaper than going out or having several pints down the pub right? Funny how you think that it's only pretentious middle classes who care about the quality of education. This is not the case. There are people who compromise on pretty much everything to give the best education to their children because they think it's important. Your post proves so much

And Boris was rightly criticized for his lack of understanding of basic scientific concepts during COVID.

Boris was criticised for being so spectacularly bone-idle and egotistical that he couldn't be bothered to turn up to the COBRA meetings or listen to the experts who were trying to explain those basic scientific concepts. He's not ill-educated or stupid. What he is, is lazy and with a sense of entitlement that rivals the sun.

Angela Raynor may be many things but I've never seen any demonstration of, or heard anyone give copious anecdotes about, her being lazy or notably egotistical.

I have to agree with you - Boris was awful. Arrogant, disrespectful, narcissistic. Shameful

Angela Rayner hasn't been in the office long enough yet and perhaps she is hardworking and means well. Still - I've listened to her many times and she is simple and uneducated. She can deliver basic labour messages but she has been largely hidden and "working in the background on important things" as they put it. She is not at the level to be a senior politician. I'm sorry but basic education is essential to lead the country?

@rainymood "I'm so relieved I'm not the only one who finds Angel Rayner embarrassing. I cringe when I see her and listen to her. It's not about the accent or about her background"

Oh don't be silly. Of course it is!