Shadow education secretary backs government over schools bill

The Shadow Education Secretary this week told Jewish News she is “deeply concerned about antisemitism in schools and on campus” and backed the government in pushing forward with schools reforms despite protests from the charedi community.

Accompanied by the Shadow Schools Minister, Stephen Morgan, Bridget Phillipson was speaking after making her first visit to a Jewish school — Akiva Primary — since her appointment to the education portfolio at the end of last year. Akiva, housed in the Sternberg Centre for Reform Judaism campus in Finchley, is the only Reform Jewish primary school in Britain.

The two Labour MPs were shown around the school and then took part in an education round table, with representatives from PaJes, Hasmonean School, the Union of Jewish Students, the Jewish Community Day School advisory board, the Community Security Trust, and the Jewish Leadership Council, under whose auspices the visit took place.

“Faith schools can play an important part in our education system,” Ms Phillipson told Jewish News. “I think it’s really vital that every child has a high quality education that allows them to achieve and thrive.”

Asked about demonstrations by some members of the strictly Orthodox community against the Schools Bill, the Shadow Secretary said that Labour agreed with the government that “it is right and necessary to make sure that all schools are registered, and that we are confident about the education which is being provided to young people”. She would not comment on reports that some at the anti-Schools Bill demonstrations were wearing yellow stars, in an echo of those made to wear such emblems during the Holocaust.

Ms Phillipson said that the incoming Secretary of State for Education would effectively be “doing the work of four people, which clearly isn’t sustainable. Our children and young people have been through real turbulence these last couple of years, they’ve had significant disruption to their learning and development. I think it’s incredibly disappointing that we don’t have government making sure that our children get the best possible start in life, given the disruption of the pandemic.”

She said she was “deeply concerned about the growing reports of antisemitism both in our schools and on campus — and I want to see action taken to eradicate antisemitism from every walk of society and public life. We discussed, as part of the round table, the inquiry that’s currently underway about the National Union of Students. I think that it’s right that the inquiry looks carefully at all of these issues and comes forward with any recommendations it deems necessary for change”.

She added: “We also discussed the wider challenges that many Jewish schools face, around security. It’s important that we work on a cross-party basis to make sure that children are safe when in school — and that we seek to stamp out antisemitism, wherever and whenever we find it, in society.”

The MP praised the Akiva school students. “It was a privilege to visit today, to see a wonderful school under the leadership of head Claire Silver. The children are lovely, such happy and determined young people”.

Russell Langer, head of policy and research at the Jewish Leadership Council, said: “I was glad to facilitate a discussion between the Shadow Secretary of State and communal colleagues, to brief her on the key issues concerning education. We look forward to engaging further with Bridget and her team to follow up on this insightful conversation.”