Labour wants to strip private schools of their charitable status and associated tax exemptions.

Most Britons (55%) say private schools should not be allowed to be charities and should lose tax exemptions.https://t.co/44OCApK89F pic.twitter.com/lZUikamJAY

— YouGov (@YouGov) January 11, 2023

The last Labour leader to take his party from opposition to government put education at the heart of his campaign and I suspect Starmer’s policy on private schools might also become similarly totemic.

The polling is clear and if the Tories try to oppose and criticise Starmer’s policy it will make the Tories look even more out of touch with the ordinary, I’m sure the Red Wall will want tax breaks for rich people instead of that money going to the local comprehensives. Starmer has laid a trap for the Tories and the only question is will they fall for it?

My expectation is that Starmer’s policy will be ultimately self defeating and self harming but one thing I am used to in recent years is the country backing a policy that is bad for the country. The people have spoken, the bastards.

(Yes, I am someone who attended a private school and am a fan of them. A private education allowed this grandson of humble immigrants to soar academically and professionally. I hope that every state school would be as awesome as private schools, I just wish I knew how to do it.)

TSE