Labour’s flagship measure to add VAT to private school fees – leading to a 20% hike in fees for parents, pressuring aspirational families – has been repeatedly defended by Keir Starmer on the campaign. Guido revealed evidence that Labour’s hatred of independent schools runs deep…

Now newly uncovered minutes from governors’ meetings at Eleanor Palmer Primary School – which was attended by both of Starmer’s children – reveal that Lady Victoria Starmer lobbied hard against proposals to encourage affluent parents in the catchment area to make voluntary donations to help fund additional opportunities such as music, art and sport. ‘Lady Vic’ was a governor at Eleanor Palmer from 2015 to 2019 – and as with all schools, the minutes are public. In 2013 the school – one of the ‘best’ state primaries in the country – received media coverage for its tiny catchment area – just 167 metres, or the same length as Roman Abramovich’s yacht…

In January 2019, the school’s headteacher told the quarterly meeting of governors that the school was facing a funding deficit for the year ahead. Suggestions from some at the meeting that more affluent parents be asked to make voluntary donations were shot down by Victoria Starmer:

‘Governors questioned whether it was now time to look at asking for covenants from parents. There were a number of affluent parents in every year group, some of whom had expressed a willingness to give money to the school. Flora Cornish and Vicky Starmer said that they had concerns around inclusivity and requests for donations and covenants. Flora Cornish expressed unease about any ideas of entitlement that may sit alongside covenants.’

‘Lady Vic’ went further:

‘Vicky Starmer asked Governors to consider the feelings of families unable to donate money… Vicky Starmer said that some parents think that the school has a lot of money given the demographic and the apparent good resourcing. Vicky Starmer asked whether the school could work with other local schools regarding the funding crisis. The Head said that head teachers talk together about funding regularly. As Camden had historically been so well funded, the shift in funding was now marked, but most schools were working independently on fundraising…Vicky Starmer stressed that it should be clear that the funds were not for topping up the state budget for core curriculum and services. The Chair said that the school could not set a budget that did that.’