The scars of lockdown continue to haunt children, according to Labour's education chief. Bridget Phillipson criticized the decision to reopen pubs before schools and pledged that schools would be the last to close in any future emergency.

Schools Should Be Last to Close and First to Open

As Secretary of State for Education, Phillipson promised that schools would be the last to close and the first to open in the event of another national crisis.

She criticized the government for failing children during the pandemic and warned that the consequences of this failure would continue to impact our society.

Hypocrisy Accusations

The Conservative Party accused Phillipson of hypocrisy, claiming that Labour opposed efforts to reopen schools. They criticized the party for fighting to keep schools closed for longer during the pandemic.

Support from Former Catchup Tsar

Labour received a boost as Boris Johnson's former catchup tsar, Kevan Collins, backed their plans to reopen schools. Collins believes that getting kids back to school is crucial.

National Register for Home-Schooled Pupils

Phillipson stated that a Labour government would create a national register for home-schooled pupils to ensure that no child falls through the cracks. This measure aims to address the issue of persistently absent students in England.

No Excuses for Missing School

Phillipson emphasized that parents must not take their children out of school for non-essential reasons, such as holidays or personal preference. She believes that missing school for anything other than genuine emergencies is unacceptable.