Get Children Back To School: Labour and the Unions are Wrong

Sir Keir Starmer is wrong not to come out firmly with a statement encouraging parents who can, to get their children back to school. Widespread anxiety among parents, made worse by the posturing of the teaching unions, which the Labour leadership is doing far too little to dispel, is handing useful political capital and scoring points back to the beleaguered government in general and Boris in particular.

Of course it is not absolutely safe for children and teachers to return to school, even with the current limitations on year groups and class sizes, but it is safe enough. We are in a pandemic certainly, but it is under far better control than it was, and we have to take responsibility for getting our economy up and running and normal life restored through managing risk, not eliminating it. Only a universal vaccine can do that.

Yes there will be spikes and frights. Yes there may be renewed local restrictions and lockdowns. But priority has to be given to restoring and beefing up the education of our children, because each day they grow older and those idle days cannot be relived. The chance of children and young people becoming ill with the virus is tiny statically and for teachers no different to any other occupation.

The education of the rising generation comes first and above pubs, shops and football.