Mid Bedfordshire MP Blake Stephenson and North Bedfordshire MP Richard Fuller have written to the Education Secretary asking her to re-think one of the new Government’s policies, which they say will have a negative impact on education for all of Bedfordshire’s pupils.
The two Conservative MPs covering Bedfordshire are concerned Labour’s plans to impose VAT on private school fees would result in fewer Bedfordshire pupils achieving their first choice state school – citing existing strain that has left Bedford Borough’s secondary school system “effectively full”.
As more pupils enter the state school system from the private and independent sector, the MPs also warned that increased class sizes in local state schools will damage the education and attainment of pupils in both existing state schools and those newly entering the state system.
Blake Stephenson MP said:
“As a local School Governor, I know how concerned local parents are about the impact of Labour’s planned Education Tax on Bedfordshire’s children. You elected me to stand up to this new Labour Government in the interest of local people, and alongside my Conservative colleagues I will continue to hold them to account.”
Richard Fuller MP commented: “Blake and I recognise the particular challenges for Bedfordshire that this Labour tax on education will bring.
Parents should not be penalised for making sacrifices such as family holidays in order to support their children’s education. This policy will double down on the pressure on classroom sizes in all our state secondary schools making it harder for Bedfordshire children to excel and local teachers to cope. We will be looking to the new Secretary of State for education to have specific answers to Bedfordshire’s specific needs.”
