Steve Beegoo comments on the parliamentary debate about taxing Christian schools
On the afternoon of Thursday 26 February, Christian and DUP parliamentarian, Jim Shannon MP convened an unprecedented Westminster Hall debate chaired by Sir Alec Shelbrooke. For the first time, the issues of the negative impacts of VAT on Christian schools and parents we are supporting were specifically raised.
‘People who scrimp and save’
Citing the presence in the gallery of Steve Beegoo and Dr Garrie-John Barnes, the new CEO of The Christian Schools’ Trust, Jim Shannon powerfully made the case that Christian faith could now be considered as being taxed because of the measure.
“I have met with so many people who have made the difficult decision to pay towards their children’s education. Not because they can afford to do so, but because their personal faith was at odds with the many moves away from moral values and ethics that they cherish. That’s their motivation.”
“I don’t need to agree with the theology to agree that their parents should have a school choice which reflects their essential values”
“The importance of faith schools is incredibly clear.”
“The parents back home in my constituency who attend the independent faith school in Bangor, they are not rich people Sir Alec, they are working people who scrimp and save to put money aside so that they can ensure that they will be in a position to give the faith education that they wish to do, in relation to their children.”
‘Not a luxury’
As well as Dr Garrie-John Barnes, there were several parents representing a school which is closing in the gallery. Garrie-John who has seen several schools and who has met parents and school leaders who have come under significant pressure, had written t Jim Shannon about these issues. Recognising this Shannon explained,
“Case studies make clear that the impact has been felt strongly”
“So, what was portrayed Sir Alec, as a tax on the rich has instead turned out to be a tax on those with a strong faith.”
“The low fee independent faith schools, many charging under £4000 annually, it is serving modest income families… and for these families faith-based education is not a luxury it is a deeply held necessity”
The state provides around £8,000 per pupil from taxation for the government schools.
Taxation
Ever since the Labour Party put forward the novel and extraordinary tax on Education, months before being elected, we have been highlighting the expected impact, and advocating that a there should at least be a tax threshold before VAT should be paid.
This would protect the schools we are defending and would protect around 270 schools who charge less than even the state provides to its schools, due to their sacrificial and efficient financial culture. This point was made well in the debate, and it was highlighted that this had been thrown out by the government as being too difficult to implement, even though there are already VAT thresholds for other businesses and tax thresholds in many other areas such as income tax.
The Labour Party has been consistently ideologically opposed to all private schools.
‘A very vindictive tax’
In an intervention, Conservative MP, Sir Ashley Fox raised the question to Shannon,
“Would he accept that any tax on education is wrong in principle?”
This was agreed with, and with a submission from Liberal Democrat MP, Ian Sollom, it was explained that,
“It is well established that the Liberal Democrats oppose taxing Education.”
“I would like to acknowledge that for many parents choosing a faith school is not primarily a financial calculation. It is an expression of deeply held conviction about how their children should be raised, about community and belief”
Conservative MP Joy Morrissey, with the official response from the opposition explained:
“This feels like a very vindictive tax, there to punish those who want choice in religion and in education, and have aspiration for where they send their child. This tax does not punish the wealthy; it punishes those who are working to barely get by.”
“Parents have come to me with tears in their eyes, saying that they can no longer send their child to the best school for them, because the state has said that they do not deserve to go to that school, as they do not have enough money to pay for the extra tax. It is a vindictive tax. We are the only European country that is taxing education. How can that be right?”
We know there has been an exodus from private schools as a result.
VAT case
Today, we discovered that our appeal case against the government had been unsuccessful and so this continued political pressure is very important.
Low-fee, low-salary Christian schools have been closed, and parents have been priced out of being able to send their children to schools where Jesus Christ is truly honoured every minute of every day, due to the work of sacrificial Christian teachers and parents.
We will continue to challenge the potentially illegal, discriminatory policy which taxes parents for not choosing the state school option – a unique situation for any European country.
Continued fight
We will persevere in the courts, but we also need politicians, like those in this debate, to speak up, recognising the injustice of penalising parents who want to provide their children with a comprehensively Christian education. Not everyone can home educate and low-cost Christian schools are already being forced to close.
Through this and other measures, the government is making it extremely difficult for parents to shape their children’s education. It is centralising secular government control over all education, and by doing so, controlling our future.
Putting such power to vindictively tax faith, in the hands of politicians is unwise and unsafe. Everyone who understands this should oppose these punitive taxes.
Revolution
We encourage you to write to your own MP, highlighting these issues and explaining the reasons why we need to maintain the freedom to have Christ-centred schools, free from taxation. We also encourage you to join us at ‘Education Revolution’ on Saturday 25 April at Westminster Chapel, where courageous Christians who are involved in every part of the Education ecosystem in our country will be gathering with many other Christian organisations.
Christians are starting new schools, and parents are taking responsibility for the education of their children. There is an early bird discount booking deadline coming up.
And please support us at Christian Concern as we seek to encourage and equip courageous Christian teachers, governors and parents who will stand for the truth of the Bible, and the rightful Lordship of Jesus Christ in every sphere of life and especially our schools.
