Starmer Faces Another Showdown With His Party Over Special Needs

Keir Starmer is already facing another showdown with his own MPs, only days after last week’s humiliating climbdown on his government’s welfare reforms. This time, it’s on his government’s plans to change the system for special needs support in schools.

Like the benefits system, spending on education for children with special education needs and disabilities (SEND) has risen sharply in recent years, at a rate that is becoming “unsustainable” for the public purse, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies. This is due to the rising number of children and young people with education, health and care plans (EHCPs), which give those with the highest needs a legal right to full state assistance.