To be completely shocked by this - Bridget can’t tell us the impact of the government’s VAT on Education?

[Sasskitty]

Bridget Phillipson dodges question on impact of private school tax raid

As parents and schools complain of chaos, Ms Phillipson refuses to spell out details of the assessment made by the department for education

Bridget Phillipson failed to spell out the full impact of the government’s private school VAT raid, dodging the question when asked about the possible implications for special education schools.

While she said the government has “looked at all of the potential impacts”, her answer failed to provide any real detail on the expected consequences.

It comes as parents and schools complain about the implications of the tax raid, which came into force on New Year’s Day and is expected to raise £1.5bn for the Treasury.

YABU - Bridget Phillipson has it all in hand. She just didn’t feel like answering the pesky question. The point is to piss rich people off. Leave Labour alone, they want nothing but erm oh I’m not sure.

YANBU - Phillipson clearly has no idea what the impact of VAT on Education will be. Nor does she really care as long as she’s seen to be punishing those horrible rich people. Or even better (it seems) the not really rich ones just trying to improve the education of their children as the available state schools were not suitable.

https://apple.news/AO7fcmrzuRaik4stLaPQxwA

(sorry paywall but there’s not much more in the article)

PS. I’ve removed the poll tally, no one needs to see real data. Do they?

’tax break’ because if it walks like a duck and it quacks like a duck…

Nobody cares about your duck - in a climate where the majority of the population now want to retract Brexit and those being the lot that may actually vote Labour back in next time, if they go down that route. And you cannot be breaching the human rights act and going against EU laws and principle against a backdrop of Reform neck on neck in the polls. Time to differentiate. Looks like EU mobility scheme and getting closer to the EU is the only way forward for Labour.

There’s a load of weeping and wailing kn SM about the ‘forgotten’ 7% and ‘why isn’t this a bigger political issue’ etc and the ‘we should have our children make videos of themselves weeping and showing their distress so the world understands!’
the lack of self awareness around this I find absolutely astounding.

You've said that before.

As to lack of awareness, I think your own posts do exhibit a fair bit of it I'm afraid. Coming on a thread (irrelevant to you, mind) with upset parents posting, simply to goad them doesn't suggest a huge amount of self-awareness.

Would you mind linking to the thread or post where anyone has suggested that as a strategy? I've been in most of the VAT threads and I've not seen that.

Social Media covers other forums - pop yourself over to the very popular Education Not Taxation for example. You’ll find it all there, along with some of the most ridiculous tax avoidance questions and theories you’re ever likely to read.
Its a good reminder of why the government brought this in so decisively and quickly- these people are willing to go to enormous lengths to try to dodge tax.

There is this type of behaviour all over social media.

More concerning is the fact that we have a Government pursuing Corbynite education policies, with no regard to the implications for economic growth and our reputation. I really cannot see how employers won’t have to cover the VAT on school fees to attract people into certain jobs. Because the Councils won’t give out school places before someone arrives. How does this allow for the type of movement of people, even within the country, that leads to optimum economic growth. I really cannot see it.
If you compare the school fees cost with VAT to other countries now, it looks extortionate. I think only Switzerland is worse now, but they pay higher wages and lower taxes.

No need to be rude, peeps! Honestly.

Really because you've been rude in some of your previous comments. Maybe I will report those?
The fact remains you joined a Facebook group set up, and consisting of, worried parents each with their own story and experiences of the impact of a government policy, and then come and slag off those parents numerous times on here. That says so much about you as a person.
You add nothing of value to the debate and revel in using disingenuous language.

This thread is probably done now, particularly as people are now reporting perfectly reasonable posts. On to the next one @Letlooseonthedanse so you can carry on gloating over upset parents. Busy old time for you!

Why would MN be deleting them if they were perfectly reasonable?

6500 extra teachers? Schools will be cutting the current number!
https://www.theguardian.com/education/2025/feb/09/cash-strapped-schools-plan-to-lay-off-teachers-in-blow-to-labours-promise

I think we need a new thread.

Yep...ludicrous. Unless they wait a year til the "extra" money from VAT materializes (or not) and hire them back claiming they are new. Didn't the Tories do that with police officers? The unfunded pay rise is ludicrous. It's effectively cutting school budgets by 2.8% before you when look at the ACTUAL budget cut, rise in overheads etc.

4x QCs hired by giver mentioned to defend the VAT policy. All paid for by the taxpayer. They must be worried if they think they need 4! Plus courts added the faith challenge into the ISC now so that's all elements covered: faith, sex discrimination etc

Is that 1 QC per area challenged? SEND, faith, sex etc?
They are obviously scared of losing, would be terrible if they are in breach of their own HR Act!

I really hope they lose in court! They really deserve to lose this one!!!

Not sure but yes it would make sense. They know how much of a threat Pannick is so are throwing everything at it. All while the taxpayer foots the bill.

Me too and I hope that = end of Phillipson. Her posts on X and her Facebook page are getting increasingly desperate

The I paper have reported today that she’s up for being shuffled out in spring 🙏🏻

Yep and praying it happens. I suspect Starmer will wait until result of court case

They cannot really win this one! The press is going to have a field day either way. Imagine the courts do not stand up for kids with SEND but do defend the rights of asylum seekers with criminal records. So either way, it is lose lose for them now and win win for Farage and his anti HR Act rhetoric. I said from the beginning they should have never gone there, especially not Starmer with his actual legal knowledge on the subjects. So they deserve for this to blow up in their faces.

It is incredibly foolish of them to even let this go to court, they should backtrack. I really wonder who their advisors are.