Angela Rayner

Labour’s deputy Angela Rayner has declared that private schools are a waste of money and that youngsters can do just as well attending a local comprehensive.

Raynor made the remarks on Sky News while commenting on former TV presenter Carol Vorderman’s criticism of veterans’ affairs minister Johnny Mercer for being privately educated but not attending university.

Vorderman said: “What are arrogant Johnny Mercer and his wife going to do for a joint income of £160,000 plus enormous expenses? Not a degree in sight in spite of expensive private education. So who’d employ them?”

Rayner commented: “Carol is right to argue that if you’ve been privately educated and not been able to get a degree, why waste your money on private education? The state sector is a fantastic sector; they did a great job with me. It wasn’t my teachers’ fault that I left without any qualifications, but look how resilient I am, they taught me some great life skills. Don’t waste your money on private schooling, you can do just as well in our state sector.”

Rayner left school in Stockport at 16 with no qualifications after becoming pregnant. She later studied part-time at Stockport College, learning British Sign Language, and gaining an NVQ Level 2 in social care.