UK’s Labour Party Proposes Closing Down Private Schools

The Labour Party, the United Kingdom’s current opposition group, proposed a motion to abolish private schools and redistribute their assets to state schools. The members of the party backed the motion at the Labour Party's annual conference in Brighton, East Sussex. During the conference, the members also proposed to withdraw tax privileges and all other forms of public assistance to private schools. Currently, there are about 2,500 private schools in the country, and around 600,000 students will be affected if the motion passes. Representatives of the party claim that closing down private schools would help in building a more equal and unified society. The representatives also mentioned that the money collected from private schools would help in improving the country’s entire education system and the lives of all children in the United Kingdom. The motion is also prompted by statistics showing that the few students who attend private schools lead at top universities. Additionally, these students hold more positions of power in different areas, particularly in the military, politics, media, and business. Activists, including Laura Parker of the campaign group Labour Against Private Schools, find the motion a welcome development in taking away the advantages of the few privileged and powerful people in the country. However, headteachers in the private school sector criticized the motion. Julie Robinson from the Independent Schools Council, which represents around 1,000 UK private schools, said that the motion was a violation of the right and freedom of parents to make choices regarding their children’s education. The council also accused the Labour Party of putting politics before the interests of children.