Is Bridget Phillipson's tweet accurate?

[Seriouslyy]

VAT debate aside - can someone please explain to me why Bridget Phillipson has linked more teachers to embossed stationary or more mental health support to pools?

My first thought was its just propaganda, but surely the Minister for Education would post something that is accurate so I am wondering what I have misunderstood?

I thought private school parents themselves are paying the VAT rather than the private schools? Bridget's tweet seems to be suggesting private school parents are paying for pools and stationary but now instead will be paying for teachers and mental health support? I'm very confused.

Bridget Phillipson's twitter post
"Our state schools need teachers more than private schools need embossed stationery.
Our children need mental health support more than private schools need new pools.
Our students need careers advice more than private schools need AstroTurf pitches."

Education Secretary’s private schools tweet ‘propagates class war’, says Tory MP | Evening Standard

It seems like she is saying that some of the costs of the imposition of VAT will be met by private schools, either directly or through reduced pupil numbers. In turn, she plans for any money raised through the imposition of VAT to be spent on things like teachers and mental health support in state schools. No idea if she is correct, but it seems pretty obvious what she is hoping will happen.

Well her tweet doesn't make much sense, I agree. To answer your question, "I thought private school parents themselves are paying the VAT rather than the private schools?" - the schools have to pay the VAT. Some schools are passing the full amount of this cost onto the parents via a rise in fees, but some schools are only passing on some of the cost. Hope this makes sense?

She is stupid at best.
The vast majority of the tax burden will be taken on by parents (approx. 15% added).
The private schools will continue to have astroturf pitches, which her daughter will (continue) to use.
The tax raised won’t be enough to pay for teachers, mental health support, breakfasts, fix leaks, buildings etc.

A dumbass that should not be in charged of anything. She reminds me of AOC and the other squad members. Troublemakers more than anything else. She will not last long but she already has done quite a lot of damage.

Stupid, chippy, mis-informed.

She’s a politician. They are rarely truthful or accurate. 🤷‍♀️

Hilarious that she uses an Astro turf pitch at an independent school to play hockey on herself! Typical hypocrisy from this lot.

Yep utterly bizarre. My school is passing on the cost to parents. Not sure why anyone thinks the stationery used at the school is of relevance to anything to be honest. They've got their way, I'm paying more money. Why are they still banging on about this?

Isn't the context of the tweet the suggestion by certain private schools that their income will be reduced because there will be fewer parents able to fees when VAT is applied to them? So she is saying they don't need the extra income and spend it on luxuries anyway. Hard to argue with the idea that the average private school budget is not as tight as the average state school budget - increased per pupil spend is the attraction for most parents.

I don't understand the astroturf comments. Several of the local state schools round here have them (working class area)

They're clueless. Private schools dont send letters anynore, they send enails, like everyone else. Stupid woman.

Our school is passing almost the whole amount on, but tbh I’d rather that, than have the school experience downgraded which the cynic in me thinks it’s really what Labour is hoping for

We’ll make other cuts to find the money to keep out DC in there more than ever, then have them moving to state school under her.

Goes without saying I understand many won’t be able to.

increased per pupil spend is the attraction for most parents.

Well yes, as it’s literally funded by those parents.

Yes I have just read she played hockey on a private school's astro turf the day she posted the tweet.

Her tweet makes no sense to me. A private school is still going to spend their funds on what they want, be that support pods or astroturf pitches. Charging VAT isn’t changing that at all. It’s just raising a tiny amount of tax.

Do people genuinely think that it’s either or?

The tweet is perfectly clear to those who aren't trying to deliberately misunderstand it.

Another Labour hypocrite
What a surprise

I guess she's trying to say that for some reason the 20% VAT will pay for mental health support in state schools instead of AstroTurf in private schools? Seems silly as private schools will still be able to afford 'embossed stationery' (?) and AstroTurf.

I mean, it makes it sound as though her department in government will be able to influence what independents do, which is wrong.

Or it's just done to wind people up who literally think it's either or?

It's a wind up - I can't think of another time taxes have been raised on a group at the same time as they've been vilified by the party implementing it.

Lots of schools, the majority of their fees go to staff costs and bursaries so one big effect will be teacher job losses.

But yeah, astroturfs, and embossed paper - sounds so much better than unemployed music teachers.

Wasn't there a private school who said they would have to ditch their embossed stationery because of this, ie number drop
I assume?

I don't have kids at private school but I thought that tweet was weird.

Crowing and nasty - talking about 'our' children' as if privately educated kids weren't 'our children'

Was there? Seems a bit tone deaf of them. Even so, stupid tweet. Was she pissed?

Yes - this - inews.co.uk/news/private-schools-without-stationery-pools-vat-3301756?srsltid=AfmBOorGUo62bn0LSd5uKakkMKs-f5A6n2snODOzjddXCXVtxs7vwtHC

And in there very next paragraph, the bigger consequence - staff redundancies.

I voted for them, I understand public services need more funding, but their rhetoric on this has been rotten.

I had 2 in private, one has just finished, the other one is finishing this year and moving next year if the law is not stopped by the challenges.

For me it’s not the money, it’s the principle. Labour could’ve just changed the law and be done with it, instead they are whipping up hatred towards Ind children.

If the people in charge are quite happy to be spiteful and petty, it’ll have a knock on effect. In no other category would politicians be able to freely shovel such spite on a group.

They are despicable.

I’d have paid the money if it had been done respectfully but now I’ll be damned if I have to give Labour a penny more of our earnings. In fact, the day I find I’ve no longer got £1600 a month coming out of my account, and I know that Labour are paying over £6.5k for my school place x 2 years, I’m going to have a huge belly laugh.