Loose language leaves Labour accused of flip-flop on private schools

Shadow ministers used charitable status' as shorthand for main goal of introducing tax changes

Has Labour flip-flopped on stripping private schools in England of their charitable status? Senior party figures from Keir Starmer down have certainly been guilty of using loose language, conflating such a move with their plan to apply VAT to private school fees and other tax breaks.

Starmer said in July last year: When I say we are going to pay for kids to catch up at school, I also say it'll be funded by removing private schools' charitable status."