Anger as Eton dodges state school rules
EDUCATION Secretary Gavin Williamson is under fire for sending legal threats to a London council which advised local state schools to close, while seeming to let private schools, including Eton, shut early.
Mr Williamson wrote to Labour-run Greenwich council to demand it keep schools open amid soaring Covid rates in the borough.
Council leader Dan Thorpe backed down and said: “I cannot justify the use of public funds to fight the decision.”
Many private schools, including £45,000-a-year Eton College, have moved to online learning.
One of Greenwich’s MPs, Clive Efford, said: “Like always, with this Government it’s one rule for them and another for the rest of us.”
Islington Council also reversed its advice to schools to close.