Labour

[EverythingAllatOnceAllTheTime]

No questions the Tories were bad, but Labour are on another level.

Are you still happy you voted them in? Be honest now, you are having your doubts aren’t you?

If not, you really should be.

They're doing impact assessments for pensioners either. They do in opposition and arrive at 4000 deaths but no when actually implementing the policy. Reckless

On VAT policy yes they should be more aware of the impact of their poor policy on education as a whole, it will effect both sectors presumably why we're outliers with adding extra VAT for political gain pre GE

All the of the stuff they are promising relies on economic growth. If they don't get it right every one gets more tax rises and spending cuts

How does VAT on private schools effect the education sector as a whole?

Isn't the point that the parents of kids with SEN in private schools sent them there because of the dreadful difficulties and delays in getting diagnoses and appropriate ECHPs? Surely the number with a diagnosis does not reflect the true number?

All this picking apart which kids are more worthy and why is just awful. Impose taxation on the uber rich, the corporations getting away with billions, the energy companies, the private equity fatcats and use the tax receipts to improve state and SEND provision. Targeting ANY children and their educational provision is reprehensible.

We'll find out how many move across, if funding cannot be met and extra teachers and other pledges do not materialise

If so there will be extra strain in the state sector and no extra funding

Other countries work to remove the burden on the state system, not increase it but that's the electorate for you, it was an easy sell here

Pp should have been they're not doing impact assessment for pension policy.. etc

The VAT policy has zero respect for two things that the Labour Party climb are top of their priority list:

• DCs mental health - that applies to all DC who may have to move schools, but is especially heartless and AMORAL for any DC with SEND
• child health implications - you cannot tell us you want the NHS to be preventative and kids do sports etc and use pools, when a) private schools do far more sports than state schools and b) a lot of private schools let kids use facilities!

The impact on private schools closing that have facilities that state schools use are directly opposed to preventative NHS policy!

@iwishihadknownmore - does heavy use include gyms and swimming pools?!

Make it even more expensive for the nation to stay fit and healthy?
It is unsafe to live in a country surrounded by an ocean and not teach school children how to swim and not fund councils properly so all local swimming pools close!
Swimming pools can be vital for certain children with SEND.

Isn't the VAT being imposed in order to fund the state sector?

I haven't heard of any massive shift from private to state education due to the VAT. Have you? Do you have that info, it would be great to take a look.

I actually agree with @easternstandard on something!

Labour should publish an Impact Assessment on the WFA changes.

“Labour should publish an Impact Assessment on the WFA changes.“

Absolutely! In any event, THEY PROMISED TO FULLY FUND AND FULLY COST.

That means OBR and IMPACT ASSESSMENT FOR ALL OF THESE DIVISIVE POLICIES.

Yes, it be being used to fund the basic provision of additional teachers. Taxation from elsewhere could easily be raised in order to do this. Given the massive underfunding of education for over a decade it would be better to tax something bigger (income) and/or richer (see my previous suggestions) than VAT on private school fees.

It's too early to see the shift, massive or otherwise, to the state sector and will likely take most of this parliamentary term to see the full effects - including whether there is be any overall net tax taking at all. Different studies have given different projections (easy to google). At least one school has already closed due to this policy making it economically unviable but it's still very early days.

From my pp We'll find out how many move across, if funding cannot be met and extra teachers and other pledges do not materialise

I'd prefer a better analysis before lobbing in a 20% tax, I understand the HoL had some scrutiny the other day although didn't hear it. It needs far more than Labour's cursory look, it needs to actually bring funding

Look at other comparable countries and what they do and what they avoid

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/sep/12/no-winter-fuel-payments-impact-assessment-was-carried-out-no-10-admits

What a relief to know they weren’t withholding it. They simply didn’t think about any potential impact of their policy. Like the VAT PS policy.

Heart-warming to know we have such an incompetent bunch in charge. At least this Labour lot do make the effort to blatantly lie about the fact they care about the population though.

As far as I'm concerned, VAT on private schools, is taxing the rich.

There may be projections but so far, there's been no substantial evidence of parents choosing the state sector, knowing these charges have been introduced.

It's getting harder to match pre GE statements to now. I'm guessing that's why favourability was at a high and is getting lower

At least The Guardian interrupts the old mn edict it's the mean right wing press

Labour really are bad on this. The response to the request for an impact assessment which was cajoling and jeering rather than answering really was bleak

‘At least The Guardian interrupts the old mn edict it's the mean right wing press’

Yes, I must say that was a pleasant surprise this morning. I had to read it twice to be sure that it really was the guardian slating the Labour gvt.

Yes, you are just the voter that this policy was aimed at attracting. Fuck the effect on children, you view their parents as 'rich' so it doesn't matter.

It's a shitty attitude arising from a shitty ill-thought out policy. It's not like there aren't other (better, easier, more lucrative) options to raise tax. But dragging down the kids of others is ok because they are richer than you.

I hadn't seen that, thanks. Really disappointing.

I understand that they are expecting a big increase in PC claims, which is a good thing that will protect the poorest. We still need to know the impact on those whose incomes are above PC level, but are still on a relatively low income.

Exactly. So sad.

Tbf I get a headlines on my phone in a list and pretty much all are becoming more scathing

Not so much the BBC but maybe I missed it

I think there will be some sort of u-turn on the WFA.

What effect on children?

You said yourself that there were many ways to raise tax for the state sector and this is one of them. People who can afford private schools are often very wealthy.

There's been no discernable shift from private to state since the policy was introduced, so it doesn't seem to have effected children. Whatever that means.

I’m not so sure. They seem to be in a doubling down ‘fck everyone (except the unions) no one can touch us now we’re only just beginning’ sort of phase.

Leading also to cancellation of the single person council tax allowance, and god knows what on ‘the wealthy’ in the upcoming budget.

I think the VAT on PS just won’t go through, legally it’s rather tricky. But the rest, we’re all suckers under Labour (except the unions).

Anyway, time will tell.

The VAT on PS - Starmer needs an impact assessment to cover his own backside. It’s going to come out that certain lobby groups have managed to get this tabled as policy.