Keir Starmer insists he wants private schools to 'thrive'

Sir Keir Starmer has said he wants private schools to 'thrive' - despite pledging to scrap their tax breaks.

The Labour leader insisted he had no 'ideological' objection to the independent education sector, but thought they should pay VAT.

At present, private schools can claim they have charity status, meaning they do not have to add the 20 per cent tax to their fees.

Speaking to Jewish News yesterday, Sir Keir said: 'We have got fantastic independent schools. I want them to thrive.'

Shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson has said she wants to end the tax break for private education providers to raise £1.5billion a year to spend on 6,500 new state school teachers.