Rachel Reeves’ Budget ‘a recipe for total disaster’ for nurseries, Tories claim

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Rachel Reeves’ Budget is “a recipe for total disaster” with up to four in 10 early years providers expected to close as a result, the Conservatives have claimed. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said funding rates and the Government’s plan for early years providers would be set out “in due course”. They say the budget will be a recipe for total disaster with up to four in 10 early years providers closing unless drastic action is taken Neil O'Brien He told MPs: “Staff in non-academised sixth form colleges are not being offered the same pay increase as staff in academised colleges. “So will the minister now agree to publish how much national insurance increase will cost sixth form colleges, and if she won’t publish it, why on earth not?” Education minister Janet Daby replied: “I find it absolutely shocking that the opposition minister has taken no responsibility for the many situations in which we find ourselves, where this Government has had to make decisions that are in the best interest of students and colleges, and we are doing various reviews to try to make sure we put right the mess that we inherited.” Elsewhere in education questions, Conservative former minister Sir Oliver Dowden accused the Government of depriving Jewish children of a Jewish education, after a private school in his constituency said it was closing because of the Government’s plan to charge VAT on fees.