By Chris McCall

Copyright dailyrecord

John Swinney has “let down” working class children in Scotland “time and again”, a senior UK Government minister has claimed. Bridget Phillipson, the Education Secretary, is standing to become Labour’s next deputy leader following the sudden resignation of Angela Rayner earlier this month. In an interview with the Record, the MP for Sunderland South criticised the SNP’s record on schools and said it had not done enough to reduce the attainment gap between the richest and poorest pupils. Phillipson, who championed the introduction of VAT on private school fees, also contrasted her record with the SNP leader. She said: “Swinney defended the status of private schools, whereas I’ve been focused on ending tax breaks for private schools and investing in state education and working class kids in England.” She added: “As Education Secretary in the Labour Government, I stood up against powerful vested interests over those tax breaks for private schools. “And I did that because I wanted to invest in brilliant state education for our children, deliver more teachers, and deliver better outcomes. And that’s a question of priorities.” Swinney faced criticism in 2018 when serving as Scottish education secretary when it was revealed he lobbied for tax break advice on behalf of a private school in his constituency . He asked his then finance colleague Derek Mackay for advice on behalf of Kilgraston School ahead of the planned removal of business rates relief from independent schools. Kilgraston later closed down in 2023. SNP MPs later voted in favour of ending VAT relief on private schools. Phillipson is up against her former cabinet colleague Lucy Powell in the contest to replace Rayner as deputy leader. And she has pledged she will work “day and night” to deliver a Labour government led by Anas Sarwar at next year’s Holyrood election. But it comes at a time Labour is trailing the SNP in the polls, with some predicting the party could finish third behind Reform. Asked if Labour could still turn things around, Phillipson said: “I would be the first to admit we haven’t done everything right in our first year in Government in Westminster. “But my message to Scottish members, and to voters, is that I’ll be the campaigning deputy leader who will fight to make Anas Sarwar the first minister. “In every part of Scotland, I know people are ambitious for themselves, for their family, and for their country. And the SNP are out of ideas. “John Swinney, time and again, has let down working class children. He let them down as Education Secretary. Why on earth should Scots give him a third decade in power?” Asked if she thought there were enough Scots willing to give Labour a second chance in May, Phillipson continued: “I do. Because I believe a Labour Government at Westminster and Holyrood is how we’ll deliver real change right across Scotland. “Anas Sarwar is the first minister that Scotland needs. It’s only by working together we’ll see lasting action on issues like child poverty, or tackling the big NHS waiting lists that many Scots are facing.” The Record asked the SNP and Scottish Government for comment. To sign up to the Daily R ecord Politics newsletter, click here