“Loads of people in the Labour party” think prime minister Rishi Sunak’s so-called British Baccalaureate plan is a “terrific idea”, according to former Labour spokesperson Alastair Campbell.
It was reported last week that the prime minister was planning on establishing a new type of British Baccalaureate, requiring substantial A-level reform and making English and maths compulsory until 18.
Many criticised the idea at the time, with Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, saying it was “no more than a sketchy slogan” and Labour shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson branding the plans an “undeliverable gimmick”.
However, speaking on a panel at the Education Summit in London on Friday, Campbell said he knows “loads of people in the Labour Party...who think it’s a terrific idea” and he too thinks ”[it] is not a bad idea”.
He added his wife, Fiona, an education campaigner who helped co-found the Local Schools Network and is a patron of the National Association for Special Educational Needs (Nasen), also believes it has merit.
“Sunak proposed it, Labour came straight out and said this is a really bad idea,” Campbell said. ”Now, I happen to know loads of people in the Labour Party, not least my partner Fiona who is kind of an education expert, who think it’s a terrific idea.”
The comments come after Bridget Phillipson criticised the plan on the BBC’s Newsnight last week, saying: “This is just the latest undeliverable gimmick from a weak prime minister and a dying Conservative government with no serious plan for improving standards of education for young people.
“Rishi Sunak should be focusing on long-term plans to improve literacy and numeracy in younger children, not pursuing short-term headlines with this unworkable policy, which will do nothing to raise standards.”
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer also accused Sunak of creating uncertainty for teachers with the plan.
Private schools and VAT
Meanwhile, commenting on Labour proposals to charge VAT on private school fees, trailed by Sir Kier this week, Mr Campbell said: “The single most important thing that we can do to deliver greater equality in this country is to abolish all private education.”
He added that he would like to see any funding gained from the tax spent on “proper mental health support in schools”.
Labour has stuck to its plans to end tax exemptions for private schools, though dropped previous proposals to end their charitable status.
It’s not the first time Campbell has weighed in on Labour education policy, after he told Tes earlier this year the party should make oracy a major part of its education manifesto policy commitments.
