Labour’s projected victory in the upcoming election has raised concerns among voters in London’s wealthiest borough due to the party’s policy to impose a 20 percent tax on private school fees. While this plan is expected to affect only a small percentage of the population nationwide, with just seven percent of children attending fee-paying schools, the impact will be much higher in the two constituencies of Kensington and Chelsea, where approximately half of parents choose private education for their children.
London Minister Greg Hands, who is campaigning for re-election as the Tory MP for Chelsea and Fulham, criticized Labour’s proposal as driven by “the politics of envy” and warned that it would undermine the independent schools that provide quality education. Hands also argued that forcing more children into state schools that are already operating at full capacity would exacerbate the current challenges faced by the education system.
With Labour aiming to end the VAT exemption on private school fees, estimating that it would generate £1.6 billion in revenue to employ 6,500 teachers in the state sector, parents in the affected borough worry about the potential consequences for their children’s education. Katherine Lim, a resident of Fulham, expressed her concerns, sharing her hope for a scholarship at an independent school for her three-year-old son, Theo.
While Labour’s plan may have widespread support nationally, it faces significant opposition in the wealthy pockets of London, where parents value the option of private education and fear the potential impact of the proposed tax on their children’s future.