Labour say 1m families will benefit from childcare plan
MORE THAN a million families will benefit from Labour’s pledge to overhaul “patchy” childcare provision by rolling out free care to all two to four-year-olds, the party claims.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has put creating a “national education service” at the heart of his party’s election campaign, which would extend 30 hours of free childcare each week to all children before they start school, regardless of family circumstances.
The policy would benefit more than 1.3m children as complex rules mean only 40 per cent of two-year-olds qualify while many working parents with three and four-year-old children are missing out, according to Labour.
Mr Corbyn said: “The Labour party believes every child, no matter what their background, deserves a good start in life, and that childcare costs shouldn’t be a barrier for parents who want to go back to work.
“The current patchy support for childcare is holding back too many families.
“High-quality childcare can transform a child’s life chances and make it much easier for parents to work.”
Shadow education secretary Angela Rayner said too many parents had been let down by Tory promises to boost care in the last General Election.
She added: “Unlike the Conservatives, Labour will properly fund childcare to help parents get back into work and ensure all children, no matter what their background, have access to the high-quality childcare they deserve.”
Labour has been making gains in the polls as the election campaign enters its final stages, with one survey reducing the Tory lead to six points. The ORB poll for
had the Tories down two points in the past week on 44 per cent, six points ahead of Labour on 38 per cent (up four points), with Lib Dems on seven per cent (unchanged) and Ukip on 5 per cent (down two).
Meanwhile, Labour say Theresa May must be “straight” with the British people about her policies or risk giving the impression that voting for the Tories is a “dangerous roll of the dice” for working people and pensioners, Labour has said.
The party called on Mrs May to answer “the most basic questions” about her plans for social care, tax and public services”.