The Tories launched their free childcare expansion package today. Gilligan Keegan had quite a tough time on the morning round, getting into a fiery clash with BBC Breakfast presenter Sally Nugent when the Education Secretary pointed to the worry of Labour entering Downing Street, “because they will not continue free childcare“. Nugent took Keegan to task, claiming that she was wrong…

However, (perhaps unusually) Keegan is right – Labour have not committed to continuing the government’s free childcare package. Last week, Shadow Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson refused to back the plan, claiming that the current plan is “just a tacking on of additional commitments that I don’t think is working, either for providers or for parents”. Nick Thomas-Symonds put out a contradictory line yesterday saying that the Labour Party would keep the expanded childcare hours in place. Then this morning Pat McFadden said they would go into a consultation on the policy. More Labour flip-flopping…