Education quality stagnating under Labour, party members say in poll

Half of Labour members believe the quality of education in England has stagnated and not improved since the party came to power, a new poll has revealed.

The poll, conducted by YouGov and commissioned for the National Education Union (NEU), revealed that 51% believe the quality of the education system has stayed the same since Labour returned to office last year, while around a third (32%) thought it had improved and four percent believed it has got worse.

Almost two-thirds (65%) of members polled said that education is currently funded poorly, with 69% believing the government should do more to fund the sector.

The poll also found that 83% would be willing to pay higher taxes to ensure schools would receive more funding.

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Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the NEU, said: “This polling is a wake-up call for the government. After more than a year in office, half of the party’s own members are looking at an education system they know is badly funded and are seeking no meaningful improvement. Their patience is clearly wearing thin.

“Members have delivered an unequivocal verdict: the bill for 15 years of devastating cuts is now due. As the Chancellor prepares for the upcoming Budget, it is clear there must be a commitment to restore funding for schools.”

YouGov surveyed 766 Labour members between October 9 and 16. Data was weighted and is representative of all Labour members over the age of 18.

The Department for Education was approached for comment.

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