Education Labour MPs urged to back Send overhaul

Five former education secretaries have made a joint appeal to Labour MPs to back the overhaul of special education provision in English schools, calling it “a once in a generation chance” to fix a failing system.

- Peter Walker Kiran Stacey

The open letter is signed by David Blunkett, Estelle Morris, Charles Clarke, Ruth Kelly and Alan Johnson, who between them held the post for a decade from 1997.

It comes ahead of the schools white paper due to be published on Monday that will set out proposals to transform the special educational needs and disabilities (Send) system, in what could be one of the defining policy challenges of Keir Starmer’s administration.

Downing Street is desperate to avoid any sort of rebellion, mindful that a repeat of the chaos that followed attempts to change benefits for disabled people could fatally undermine the prime minister’s authority.

The proposed changes to Send have been received more positively by Labour MPs, not least because of the near-universal acceptance that the current system does not work. But a number remain nervous, including over proposed changes to how children would qualify for an education, health and care plan (EHCP), which legally entitles them to support.