Peer warns Labour’s school tax likely to be illegal

  • 1st July 2024

Crossbench peer and KC Lord Pannick has said that the Labour Party’s plans to impose VAT on private school fees is likely to breach human rights law.

Speaking to The Telegraph Lord Pannick said: “It would be strongly arguable that for a new government to impose VAT on independent schools would breach the right to education. That is because all other educational services will remain exempt from VAT and the charging of VAT on independent schools alone is designed to impede private education – and will have that effect.”

Pannick added that the VAT policy could breach two articles in the European Convention on Human Rights which protect the right to education.

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