Tristram Hunt MP, Labour’s Shadow Education Secretary, responding to the publication of the report by the Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission, said:

“David Cameron is failing on social mobility – he and his government stand up only for a privileged few. Under the Tories, the attainment gap between disadvantaged children and the rest is increasing, millions of hardworking people are seeing their living standards go backwards and child poverty is set to increase.

“Government policy is at odds with the Commission’s prescriptions. Alan Milburn, rightly, is very clear on the role for schools in ensuring children from deprived backgrounds get the exam results and broader character skills that they need to succeed. That vision is at the heart of Labour’s schools policy. By contrast, Cameron’s schools policy has done away with work experience and face-to-face careers advice, so important for young people, whilst ignoring the important role of children’s character development in schools.”

ENDS