General election latest: Private school closures ‘nothing to do with Labour’, says Starmer 

Sir Keir Starmer today claimed that private school closures were “nothing to do” with Labour’s planned tax raid. 

Labour has pledged to impose VAT on private school fees as soon as possible if it wins power on July 4 and to use the money raised to provide a boost to the state education sector. 

The plan has sparked fears of a pupil exodus from private to state schools while some private schools have named the policy as one of the reasons why they are closing. 

But Sir Keir said: “I have seen a number of reports of private schools closing and if you look at the details it has got nothing to do with Labour Party policy at all. 

“In fact, I think hundreds of private schools have closed over the last 14 years and it is about time that that was put into the mix when these stories are reported.”

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