Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said he was ignored by the prime minister after offering to help to build consensus ahead of primary schools reopening for certain year groups this week.
In a letter to prime minister Boris Johnson, Mr Starmer outlined his concerns about parents not returning their children to school this week, saying the issue could become “even more socially divisive”.
Speaking during Prime Minister’s Questions today, the Labour leader told Parliament: “I wrote to the prime minister two weeks ago because I could see the problem of schools and I thought it needed leadership and consensus. And I privately offered to do what I could to build that consensus. That’s the offer that was not taken up.”
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But Mr Johnson told MPs: “I took the trouble to ring [Mr Starmer] up and we had a long conversation in which I briefed the right honourable gentleman about all the steps we were taking and he didn’t offer any dissent at that stage.”
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In his letter, Mr Starmer said he fully supported the wider opening of schools as soon as was “feasibly possible”, and urged the government to work closely with teaching unions and professional bodies. He also called on the government to publish in full the evidence that was informing it, which he said would help to build consensus.
He stated in the letter: “I am sure that as prime minster you will share my concern that without a stronger consensus of parents and professionals behind the wider opening of schools, some parents will choose not to comply and the issue will become even more socially divisive. This is an unacceptable position to put Britain’s families in and we should do all we can to avoid it.”
Headteachers said schools were reporting between 40 and 70 per cent attendance on Monday, while a survey today reveals that 44 per cent of schools did not open more widely.
