Alexander Armstrong shares scathing take on Keir Starmer’s ‘nasty’ private school VAT policy: ‘Really angry’
TV presenter Alexander Armstrong has launched a scathing attack on Keir Starmer’s VAT policy on private schools.
The father of four boys in private education expressed “real anger” about the controversial tax change.
Armstrong, 55, who has a 10-year-old son with special educational needs, criticised both the timing and impact of the policy on families like his.
He described feeling “really, really angry” and “extremely poor” as a result of the government’s decision.
Armstrong revealed that all four of his sons attend private schools in an interview with The Telegraph, where he added: “Our 10-year-old has special educational needs, he couldn’t survive in the state system.”
He also emphasised that private education was the only option for his children to learn music.
The presenter made clear that his family’s educational choices were driven by necessity rather than privilege.
“We have chosen that not because we’re evil, and not because we want to buy a head-start for our children, but we want them to have as good an education as we can get,” he stated.
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The Pointless star also highlighted a perceived hostility towards private education.
“There’s a real anger towards private schools from some quarters and I find that so antithetical to everything I believe about society,” he said.
The presenter defended parents making sacrifices for their children’s education against what he sees as unfair characterisation.
Armstrong was particularly critical of the timing of Starmer’s policy implementation.
“There was something really vituperative about [Starmer] bringing it in in the middle of the school year,” he told the publication.
He described the approach as feeling “really unpleasant and nasty”.
The presenter’s frustration was evident as he discussed the mid-year tax change that has affected many families with children already enrolled in private education.
Armstrong also expressed concerns about Starmer’s inheritance tax reforms affecting farming families.
“Another source of anger,” he admitted when discussing the inheritance tax changes on farming.
He went on to reveal his personal connection to the issue: “We’re farmers, of farming stock. We’re very much affected [by the changes].”
However, Armstrong quickly restrained himself from elaborating further on the topic.
“But I had better not get into that,” he admitted, suggesting the sensitivity of the subject for his family.
Armstrong’s criticism extended beyond specific policies to the broader political landscape.
“I loathe tribal politics,” he stated firmly in the interview. He described his personal reaction to partisan approaches from both sides of the political spectrum.
“I’m allergic to it from the Right and scared of it from the Left,” Armstrong said.