Co-conspirators will remember the “independent” Institute for Fiscal Studies report into private school VAT. The paper was jumped on by Labour and left-wing papers to “fact check” widely-held worries that Starmer’s class war on private schools will 1) funnel unsustainable numbers of children into the state system, and 2) not raise enough money. The paper allowed Labour politicians to “disagree” with challenges from the industry in media appearances, all without scrutiny…

The caveat-filled report’s author Luke Sibieta said he expects “that the change in private school attendance levels will be small. This leads to surer increases in tax revenues and less need for additional public spending on state schools.” Where Sibieta claims the policy will raise “£1.3–1.5 billion per year in the medium to long run” because only 40,000 children will switch to the state system, the vast majority of other reports predict that the policy will actually be cost-negative before too long. Guido wonders if there is any particular reason why the report’s author would want to support the policy…

Sibieta studied at UCL, teaching at which was Francis Green, chairman of the Private Education Policy Forum – an organisation which seeks to disparage and ultimately disband private schools. They have both contributed to the IFS’ major “Inequality Review”. Two months ago Green appeared at the PEPF to chat about his Labour-supporting report. Privately-educated Green also happens to have advised Jeremy Corbyn when the VAT policy and others were first drafted in 2017. Seven years later the PEPF is drawing up plans with the Labour Party for the state to take over schools that are forced to shut due to the extra tax. No wonder that Sibieta has produced a paper in support of a policy to further that plan…

UPDATE: The IFS says: “Luke cannot recall ever having met Francis“.

Last week Guido revealed Deputy Leader Angela Rayner pledged to abolish all private schools, a policy that would be a a financial and logistical disaster. Alongside Rayner was Reeves, cheerily nodding along to the idea of taking away parents’ freedom to choose where to send their kids. Though Reeves wanted to go even further…

Guido has unearthed a clip of Rachel Reeves in 2018 saying she has “always and will always oppose” selective schools. That includes grammar schools and private schools. She admitted she thinks schools shouldn’t be able to select highly skilled students:

“I would like to see more children educated at comprehensive schools and that means fewer children being educated at grammar and private schools. I feel this strongly [about this] as you can never have a true system of comprehensive education whilst you still have selection. I have always and will always oppose more selection in our education system I think it is a backwards step not a forward step.”

Will she fulfil her promise to see fewer selective schools in the country – a subject she feels so “strongly” about? “Socialists say ‘equality.’ What they mean is ‘levelling down'”…

One of Labour’s most contentious policies is their punitive tax on independent schools, slapping a 20% VAT on fees. The party is already stumbling over questions about how they’ll handle the influx of students flooding the state system. Shadow cabinet members are scrambling to refute Emily Thornberry’s slip admitting there will be “larger classes” because of this tax. Guido has unearthed a video of Deputy Leader Angela Rayner and the Shadow Chancellor vowing to abolish independent schools altogether…

Back in 2018, speaking at the Brudenell Social Club in Leeds about “Labour’s vision for a fairer future for everyone involved in teaching and learning,” Rayner promised: “we will end the marketisation and privatisation of our education system.” She was met with much applause from the audience and a nodding smile from Rachel Reeves. This would be a financial and logistical disaster…

According to an IFS report in 2019, shutting down private schools would saddle taxpayers with a £3.06 billion bill to shoehorn these students into state schools. On top of that, it would strip away £4.12 billion in tax revenues. Are Rayner and Reeves to fulfil their promise of abolishing private schools? The tax on fees could just be the beginning…