Would Labour voters be upset if joining the EU meant they could no longer tax children’s education?

[Blarneyspoco]

Taxing children’s education is banned as part of EU membership. If the U.K. rejoined the EU, would Labour supporters be upset that they can no longer levy the tax or would it be seen as a necessary compromise.

Oh that doesn’t sound good, what would happen if they lost their charitable status?

Just before you go:

What's the compelling reason for books to retain their specific VAT exemptions?

Please 😁

I'd really like to test that reason against private school fees.

New book sales in the UK are valued at £7.4 billion. That's pretty similar to the £10billion on private school fees,so could raise a simar amount of tax.

not committed to hiring teachers as that money is now going to housing instead, apparently. cant u see all those ppl now have free houses .....

Private schools didn’t have a specific VAT exemption, children aged 5-18 in full time education had a vat exemption from education services received. Anyone aged outside these ages still retains that vat exemption.

Ha ha, I have a few more assumptions about people who support this tax after that recent conversation. That was completely amazing and I’ve got to be honest, not totally surprising.

I'm just here to count the ways the argument against VAT on private schooling can be portrayed.

Rather disappointed that no one has ferreted out a quote from the Bible* to demonstrate that education is a sacred practice. Although I asked ChatGPT and it referred me to the book of Ofsted.

*Other texts are available.

Or arguments for it.

free state education cant cater for many kids. putting them in private school frees up places in state for those who cannot afford it and needs extra help

Generally you can use religion to prove anything. Or so it seems.

Don't be daft. No-one cared. No-one cares.

Except for the people who were paying it, who cared deeply.

The main reason it generated so much of a backlash on here were the stupidly exaggerated predictions of "the end of the world as we know it".

Also the vindictiveness towards the state education system, predicting all the "ordinary kids" that would be displaced.

All the hand wringing was just so privileged, and it was disproportionate. It came over so badly.

No-one will care if rejoining the EU reverses it. There is more at stake than your selfish personal privileges. There always was.

Maybe families who have a joint income of £100,000 and pay to send their kids to private school. Will be able to claim the vat back?

Re the latest Conservative nonsense on their poor hard up poverty stricken, starving supporters and financial help with pre school kids.

Maybe if we returned to the EU. Brussels could make a special case for them.

I have absolutely no doubt there will be religious text to back up not teaching the ‘wrong’ things to children. Todays Labour have a lot in common with the religious zealots of old.

If they lost their charitable status they would have to pay tax like the rest of us- on all their property which in the case of a school like Eton runs into hundreds of millions because they own the whole town.
Personally I would not have VAT on the fees but I would tax the schools on their overall wealth, which is sometimes considerable, but in the case of more minor public schools can be quite modest- so it would be far fairer.

@SemiRetiredLoveGoddeess Combined income of £100k was always fine for pre school assistance, it’s if one person earns over £100k where it was cut off. So £10k and £90k you’re golden, but £100k and £0 no you’re a rich privileged undeserving areshole. Tories are absolutely right, we need to stop excluding the people who pay for all public services from them.

It is evil. It is an assault on education. Can't wait till it gets scrapped

@Blarneyspoco what are you trying to achieve with all these threads?

It’s clear that virtually no one agrees with or supports your views.

And most importantly, the VAT on private school fees isn’t going to change anytime soon.

And you can’t afford to pay it.

So what is your desired outcome?

Because you can’t just delay your children’s education until you can afford to put them back in private school.

And if you are this obsessed about this IRL you’ll also alienate anyone around you as well.

Of course it’s not “evil” get a grip

I think vat on private schools is the right policy, but I would sacrifice that if it meant rejoining the eu.

That’s how I feel. I voted remain in 2016 and I would put rejoining over VAT on private education.

I agree with @Blarneyspoco and the tax will be gone within 3 years. Tories, Reform, Lib Dem’s, Restore and the EU have all stated they will reverse or in the EUs case ban it.
The stigma of being the party to make children’s education vatable will follow Labour around every time they bring up education.

So the OPs children will have been in state school for 5 years by then……

I haven’t read the entire thread, so I don’t know her kids ages.

You seem a tad unhinged about paying VAT it seems.

however I have great news! Simply send your children to a local comprehensive and you won’t pay VAT, so your children’s education will be untaxed.

Hurrah!

Both things can be true.

Taxing education is a disgrace.

Those parents were paying taxes of which state schools benefitted, not taking up a place in those schools (again the state schools benefitted) and now those private schools are closing, those kids are now in the state schools which were chronically oversubscribed anyway.

Now nobody benefits. Great policy 🙄