The Human Cost of Labour’s Tax Raid on Independent Faith Schools.
Headteacher, Cllr. Joshua Conway, a dedicated Conservative councillor in Barnet's Hendon ward, has been automatically disqualified from his elected position under the Local Government Act following his small independent Jewish school's successful application to transition into the state sector. The move was necessitated by the impact of the Labour government's 20% VAT levy, National Insurance and business rate increases on private school fees which has rendered the school's independent model financially unsustainable.
Elected in 2022 as a Conservative Councillor, Cllr. Conway, who has taught at the Hendon Jewish school for years, faces disqualification due to legal restrictions barring teachers from serving as elected members in the local authority with financial responsibility for their workplace. The school's successful bid for Voluntary Aided status - preserving its faith-based curriculum under Barnet Council oversight - triggered this irreconcilable conflict, which forced his exit despite his extreme reluctance to resign other than by operation of law.
Cllr. Conway said: "I am deeply saddened. I love serving both my school and my community. It feels wrong to be forced to choose. This wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for the Labour Government’s envy tax on independent schools."
Cllr. Conway highlighted his achievements since 2022 as a Conservative Hendon ward councillor, including securing funding for playground repairs, enforcing CCTV installation promises on the Shirehall estate, and advocating effectively at planning meetings.
Barnet Conservatives have decried the situation as a stark example of Labour's policy shortcomings. Cllr. Peter Zinkin, Leader of the Conservative Group, stated: "This is Labour's tax raid in action - inflicting real human costs on dedicated public servants and forcing closures or conversions.”
The Barnet Conservative Group calls on the government to reconsider this policy's unintended consequences and urges support for faith schools and local representatives serving their communities.
[Editors Note]: While Labour claims to target privilege, the Independent Schools Council reports over 50 school closures since the policy's introduction, with at least 12 directly linked to VAT, alongside rising National Insurance and Business Rate levy.
