“The NEU backs calls for a wealth tax and rejects the concept that cutting welfare will boost employment or grow our economy.”
Responding to the Chancellor’s Spring Statement, NEU General Secretary Daniel Kebede, rejected the cuts and called instead for a wealth tax.
“Austerity is ended in deeds not words. The Spring Statement will cause deep anger among education staff because it does not address the key issue preventing schools and colleges from supporting children and young people – a lack of funding.
“Children get only one chance to go to school and college, and education staff expect government to deliver enough funding for safe school buildings, experienced teachers, appropriate class sizes and pastoral and SEND services.
“Cuts to funding and huge real terms pay cuts of a fifth since 2010 have made teaching less attractive and the serious recruitment and retention issues are now plain for all to see. Children are losing out. Labour has pledged to increase opportunities for working class children, but this simply won’t happen without investment in our schools and funding for the pay increases needed to value, recruit and retain the educators we need.
“The NEU backs calls for a wealth tax and rejects the concept that cutting welfare will boost employment or grow our economy. The two-child limit and any further cuts to welfare will directly and immediately worsen the life chances for thousands of children. Talk of ‘efficiency’ savings in education is incendiary when teachers are spending their own salaries on what’s needed in the classroom.”
- Daniel Kebede is the General Secretary of the National Education Union (NEU).
- You can follow Daniel on Twitter/X here; and follow the NEU on Facebook, Twitter/X and Instagram.
- This article was originally published by the NEU on 26 March 2025.
