Member

Many others will speak about other material impacts of this proposal. I have four private schools in my constituency—Frewen college, Battle Abbey school, Vinehall school and Claremont school—and I could speak at length about the impact that this measure will have on parents. Whatever policy the Government have chosen, I wanted to ensure that I came to the Chamber and called out the particular manner in which this is being justified by Labour MPs and the Labour Government, which they did not have to do. To pit different school pupils against each other in the way that the Education Secretary and Labour MPs have done—there is absolutely no basis in fact whatsoever, and it is the worst possible way to have gone about this policy. The Labour party has many proud traditions and can point to many noble moments. This is absolutely not one of them, and I hope Labour Members will reflect on that.