The Minister of Education, Bridget Philipson, repeated the government's position on imposing value -added tax on private school fees, and insisted that the closure in this sector is not a new development.
When she appeared on Camilla Tomaini today on GB news, Mrs. Philipson admitted that parents are now facing an option regarding the education that pays the fees, but she stated that she had no intention to reflect this policy.
“I don't want to disable children if this will lead to a result,” said Philipson. “But private schools, as companies, will face options on how to manage their money. Parents also have options on how to spend them. If they choose not to choose a specific school, and the demand falls, this is the way the market works.”
When pressing whether she is comfortable seeing more closing of private schools under her watch, Mrs. Philipson noted that the rate of falling births has already led to “large numbers of backup places” in both sectors of the state and private. She climbed that many private schools have been closed over the years, and confirmed that it is “not a new phenomenon” and that the broader trend has preceded the policy of VAT for a long time.
Defense of politics
The government's decision to impose value -added tax on private education has sparked a discussion and anxiety between some parents and school principals, who fear that the increasing fees will push more institutions to close. However, Mrs. Philipson looked firm in her approach:
“I have closed private schools, as I say, in large numbers for many years – this is not a new phenomenon. Politics stands, and I do not see any reason to get away from it.”
Welcome to Trump's position on Ukraine
Transforming the focus from education, Mrs. Philipson also used her appearance GB News To address international affairs, specifically the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. In a move that might surprise some observers, she expressed support for recent calls by former US President Donald Trump to negotiate a peaceful solution:
“We believe that the British government should go up and play a bigger role,” Mrs. Philipson told Camilla Tomaini. “For this reason, we welcome President Trump's approach to bringing parties to the negotiating table and seeking to secure a permanent and permanent settlement to Ukraine.”
Mrs. Philipson linked the conflict to increased costs and economic instability at home, confirming the government's commitment to increased defense spending. She pointed out that billions of pounds are pledged annually to support the Ukrainian effort, and described the conflict as “severe consequences here in terms of energy bills (and) the resulting instability.”
In recognition that the defense budget has already increased according to the last package of the advisor, Ms. Phillipson suggested that there is room to accelerate the current time tables for more spending:
She said: “It has been talked about obtaining (defensive spending) to 2.5 % of GDP by 2028, and not 2030.” “Besides, we are committed to reaching 2.5 % and we will perform a path towards it.”
While the value -added tax on private school fees is still controversial, Mrs. Philipson appears to be not convinced of the arguments that she will lead to an unprecedented wave of closure. Instead, referring to the broader demographic transformations, the government's position has shouted that private schools should adapt to the market forces – a position that is likely to maintain the vital debate in the coming months.
Meanwhile, her supportive notes on Trump's diplomatic suggestions indicate that she is ready to influence a wide range of interventions in the Ukraine crisis, which puts more scrutiny on how the UK expresses the conflict decision. With the continued development of education and foreign policy challenges, the MS Phillipson sites on these issues will undoubtedly remain in the spotlight.
The post Education Secretary brushes off private schools’ fate while praising Trump’s war plan first appeared on Investorempires.com.