Pupils at Eton College
(Picture: Getty Images)Abolishing private schools has “never” been a big priority for the Labour Party, the shadow education secretary said on Wednesday.
At the last Labour Party conference in 2019, members voted to "integrate" private schools into the state sector, have their assets "redistributed" and impose a seven per cent admissions quota on universities.
Kate Green was the first MP to support the “Labour Against Private Schools” or “Abolish Eton” campaign ahead of the 2019 conference– before joining the shadow cabinet under Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership,
However, she appeared to play down the idea on Wednesday by saying she was more interested in the state system.
She told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “It’s never been a big priority for me or for the Labour Party. Only six per cent of children are in private education.
“I’m much, much more concerned in prioritising the learning and giving a great education to the 94 per cent in our wonderful state system.”
Angela Rayner, the former shadow education secretary, told the 2019 conference in Brighton the "tax loopholes" that benefit private schools would be scrapped by a Labour government in its first Budget.
Meanwhile, the party’s 2019 manifesto under Jeremy Corbyn said: “We will close the tax loopholes enjoyed by elite private schools… and we will ask the Social Justice Commission to advise on integrating private schools and creating a comprehensive education system.”
