Labour's Emily Thornberry has defended a plan that could lead to larger class sizes in state schools, stating, 'If we have to have larger classes, we will.' This proposal has sparked controversy, with teaching unions expected to oppose it and critics accusing Labour of inconsistency, given their previous stance on class sizes. Shadow Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson clarified that Thornberry misspoke and that Labour's policy does not involve increasing class sizes. Concurrently, Labour has pledged to create over 3,000 new nurseries within existing primary schools in England, aiming to provide 100,000 additional childcare places. This initiative is part of a broader plan to improve childcare accessibility and affordability, funded by ending tax breaks for private schools. Labour's childcare strategy, led by Sir Keir Starmer, also includes providing free breakfast clubs for all primary school pupils, which is expected to save parents over £400 a year. Starmer highlighted this plan during a visit to Nuneaton.
"Can I confirm you're going to open 3,000 new nurseries without spending a penny extra on staffing?" @C4Ciaran asks Sir Keir Starmer how Labour would deliver on the new nurseries pledge with a staffing crisis in childcare. https://t.co/q4ZAZd2DrZ
Keir Starmer tells me Labour will deliver the Conservatives’ childcare expansion - 30 free hours from 9 months. Labour had previously criticised the plan as “shoddy”. It’s a big commitment… staffing, infrastructure and funding 👇 https://t.co/XQEr40ODkN
Labour wants to create over 100,000 new nursery places - but just how feasible is it? ITV News' Deputy Political Editor @AnushkaAsthana reports https://t.co/jb9lhL50PZ
3,000 new nurseries? 👀⬇️ https://t.co/Rqpr4VFXjL
"You can't say it's 3,000 new nurseries if some of those nurseries already exist?" @C4Ciaran challenges Shadow Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson on Labour's promise to create 3,000 new nurseries in primary schools across England. https://t.co/O1ipREJosO
Good to discuss @UKLabour’s plan for free breakfast clubs in primary schools today. Breakfasts clubs improve children’s attendance & outcomes, & help parents get to work. Labour is committed to giving every child the best start in life & breaking down barriers to opportunity. https://t.co/b91fKnQzs1
This is a great policy. Affordable, high-quality childcare improves children's outcomes and helps parents back into work. Another reason to vote Labour on 4th July. 🌹🗳️ #VoteLabour https://t.co/rKF0OSOdaz
It was a joy to spend time with children and their families in Nuneaton today. Labour will deliver for parents and give every child the best start in life with 3,000 new nurseries and free breakfast clubs in every primary school, funded by ending tax breaks for private schools. https://t.co/tskp881ImG
Labour has a plan to deliver the childcare and early education our country needs. Sign up here to back our plan 👉🏻 https://t.co/ujwzlDgnsq https://t.co/5VUE8alZCE
The Tories’ promise of more funded childcare hours is meaningless if parents can't secure the places they need. Labour will 👉Create 100,000 new nursery places. 👉Advance our Early Years Review within the first year of government. 👉Ensure high-quality childcare is accessible. https://t.co/GxUxt28OeI
Labour has pledged to create 3,000 new nurseries within existing primary schools. The policy will be funded by ending tax breaks for private schools. @Keir_Starmer outlines why he believes the policy would be 'really important' ⬇️ Politics Hub: https://t.co/vETtupIG1y https://t.co/K2zt9CZRhd
NEW Shadow Schools Minister admits she doesn’t know how many breakfasts would be provided under Labour’s plan Speaking to LBC Catherine McKinnell was announcing a policy to give all primary school children free breakfasts @LBC @NickFerrariLBC https://t.co/dJsA3oE7jN
Absolutely crucial to our mission to increase employment - and to improve parents' choices at work. If you want to change the fortunes of families and our whole country, vote @UKLabour on 4 July 💪❤️ 🇬🇧 https://t.co/77W0rUskhf
EXPLAINED: Labour’s plan for childcare 👇 https://t.co/wy46209e66
I’ve been speaking about @UKLabour’s plans to ensure that every family has access to the #childcare they need. It is a win-win, giving children the best start in life and families the tools they need to get on too. https://t.co/MqEUMwrbLP
Labour will improve life chances for children and support parents with our plans for childcare. As your Labour MP, I would ensure Bournemouth gets the attention and investment we need from a Labour Government ❤️ https://t.co/cSp8DkY8AO
Labour plan to give all primary school children free breakfasts - but shadow schools minister doesn't know how many this would be https://t.co/swpLHr2dQS
Bridget Phillipson tells #KayBurley that Emily Thornberry misspoke when she said class sizes would increase. "That's not right, b/c we're seeing a falling number of pupils arriving at state schools... Emily did misspeak, as that's not our position.." https://t.co/vNNnF7QaL8
I have heard from so many families from across Sheffield who are struggling with the cost and availability of childcare. The system must be fixed. Labour will create 100,000 new nursery places. https://t.co/CZrFYw26S9 https://t.co/LPjxBPJHNu
Labour say they will slash school absences and save parents over £400 a year - thanks to their pledge to provide free school breakfast clubs for all primary school pupils. @susannareid100 asks Shadow Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson how this will be paid for. https://t.co/KhZAtt045T
Bridget Phillipson tells #KayBurley that Emily Thornberry misspoke when she said class sizes wouldn't increase. "That's not right, b/c we're seeing a falling number of pupils arriving at state schools... Emily did misspeak, as that's not our position.." https://t.co/YkvGgbxG3a
📰 Bridget Philipson tells @TimesRadio she will have a word with Emily Thornberry over the school tax row - after saying class sizes may get bigger 📰 Our Page 2 today https://t.co/TbNv8a1cz0
Red on red: Bridget Phillipson says Emily Thornberry was wrong yesterday when she said Labour's private school tax will lead to larger class sizes in the state sector
'Both parties have woken up to the fact that childcare is horrendously expensive in this country.' GB News' Katherine Forster discusses Labour's pledge to create 100,000 additional childcare places and more than 3,000 new nurseries as part of its childcare plan. https://t.co/E99qBy3snf
The Tories have broken childcare. Labour will fix it.
The Labour party has pledged to create 100,000 additional childcare places and more than 3,000 new nurseries in England as part of its childcare plan. Chief political correspondent Henry Zeffman had more details on #BBCBreakfast https://t.co/5iaDBxL1R9 https://t.co/tCJtuMfk3a
Labour has pledged to create 3,000 new nurseries within existing primary schools as a part of a key manifesto offer to working parents Read more 🔗 https://t.co/rMICPlavCo
🔴 Unused classrooms to be nurseries for 100,000 new childcare places, Labour says https://t.co/bptGUF9Nbq
Exclusive from @PippaCrerar’s interview with @Keir_Starmer tonight - Labour pledges to create more than 100,000 new nursery places - new nurseries across England and Wales using spaces left by empty classrooms in shrinking schools https://t.co/ZwBTnSH84O
NEW: @Keir_Starmer and @bphillipsonMP will make high quality childcare available to thousands more families by creating over 3,000 new nurseries based in primary schools. Read more 👇 https://t.co/y1zvJm7cDq
🚨 NEW: Labour plans to set up more than 3,300 nurseries for 100,000 toddlers [@guardian]
Thanks for highlighting the fact that @UKLabour will see class sizes in state schools rise right across the country as @EmilyThornberry said Great of you to re-confirm that Sir @Keir_Starmer and @bphillipsonMP’s policy will make life chances worse for the vast majority of kids… https://t.co/Nw4cJL9Ql6
The Conservatives made a pledge without a plan. Only Labour has a plan to deliver the childcare our country needs. Only Labour can bring the change our children deserve. Sign up now to back our plan: https://t.co/ujwzlDfPCS
The next Labour government will create thousands of new nurseries to deliver the best start in life for all our children. Children’s futures are too important to be left to chance with the Conservatives. https://t.co/tvYWrg0cUw
>> @EmilyThornberry admits that there’ll be larger class for state schools if @UKLabour wins the election << Brilliant scoop from @CamillaTominey on @GBNews as Labour shadow cabinet member Emily Thornberry admits that under @UKLabour plans tens of thousands of children will end… https://t.co/MAk5GXt2BM
A shocking admission from Sir Keir’s Labour that they are willing to make class sizes in state schools LARGER, having previously said current class sizes are too big, because of their ideological and nonsensical attack on private schools. https://t.co/F2FY5S9dfx
Labour’s Emily Thornberry defends plan that could ‘overcrowd’ state schools: ‘If we have to have larger classes, we will!’ https://t.co/OUsieH4CwD
Emily Thornberry has just said make classes larger so all state pupils can have breakfast… Teaching unions will be firmly against this. Can the shadow education minister (@bphillipsonMP) confirm that this is her policy and not just Emily Thornberry’s opinion? https://t.co/aPIvZJMAgR