Michael Gove has previously backed an end to 'blatant' private school tax benefits

Rishi Sunak's government has defended the charity status of independent schools and said they have an "important role to play in bringing opportunities" - despite the 2017 notice of the upgrade secretary. remarks

Mr Gove said state-subsidized private schools gave the children of the wealthy "every possible advantage" (

Image: PA)

Michael Gove has previously backed the removal of tax benefits enjoyed by private schools as one of the best ways to end the "burning injustices" in society.

The upgrade secretary said to his "continued surprise, we still regard the education of the children of plutocrats and oligarchs as a charitable activity".

In one, the senior curator asked readers why the "blatant" support should continue, saying, "How can this be justified?"

In 2021, Labor leader Keir Starmer pledged to continue supporting the policy to end the charity status of private schools, raising £1.7billion a year.

In recent days, the policy - supported by a majority of the public - has been highlighted by the right-wing press as an example of the party's "class war".

Keir Starmer wants to end the charitable status of private schools (

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A government spokesperson also told the Daily Mail: 'Independent schools have an important role to play in improving opportunities'

But Mr Gove, now head of the Leveling Up programme, said private schools offered opportunities that 'public school students could hardly contemplate'.

Referring to then Prime Minister Theresa May, Mr Gove added: 'The Prime Minister rightly wants to end the burning injustices in our society.

"We could hardly find a better way to achieve this than to end tax benefits for the global super-rich and extend them to the vulnerable and voiceless."

He argued that money raised from the removal of private school tax benefits could be "redeployed to help the most vulnerable children of all - those in care".

Mr. Gove added: "Children of the intrinsically rich...