Labor tax raid on private schools to fund golden salutes for teachers

Bridget Phillipson has revealed plans to spend £56m on 'incentive payments' for new teachers. Credit: Thomas Creech/Zuma Press Wire/Shutterstock

Labour will use a tax raid on private schools to give every new teacher a £2,400 welcome bonus, Shadow Education Minister announced.

Bridget Phillipson unveiled plans to spend £56m on “incentive payments” in an attempt to stop the number of tutors leaving the profession.

She said the “full cost” policy would be funded with cash she said would come from cutting the VAT exemption on independent school tuition fees. another reckless spending plan” and said Labor had already spent the money elsewhere.

Ms Phillipson told Times Radio that “a real shift, a reset of the relationship between government and the profession” is needed.

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She said that under Sir Keir Starmer all new teachers would have to be qualified. for completing their first two years of initial vocational training.

2406 Private school fees increase

Those who do so will receive a £2,400 welcome payment to encourage more people to take up education and continue to teach, not care.

Ms Phillipson said: “It will cost just over £56m and it will be achieved by removing tax breaks enjoyed by private schools.” experts say real profits are likely to be much lower.

The EDSK think tank, headed by Tom Richmond, a former government adviser, said its figures were “very optimistic” and the policy could not do any good . income at all.

At best, introducing VAT on fees would only bring in £1bn.

Labor has already pledged £350m from the proposal to recruit more than 6,500 new teachers if they will become part of the government.

Fees for 2,406 private schools are higher than for the middle class.

They also said the policy would pay for “the most ambitious school improvement program for a generation,” although it was not revealed how much it would cost.

Gillian Keegan, education secretary, said: “This is another example of Labour's reckless spending plans.

“They promise money to teachers and don't realize they've already invested that money elsewhere. It is clear that Labor has no plan for education.”

She added: “The Conservatives have ensured that we have a record number of teachers entering the profession thanks to our tax-free scholarships of up to £27,000 sterling.”

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“We are also supporting schools with an additional £2bn of funding this year and next. This means that by next year we will be funding schools at the highest level in history in the amount of 58.8 billion pounds.