The Conservative and Reformer Post has received a heartfelt letter from 14-year-old Ella, who has written to Keir Starmer after being forced to leave her beloved private school due to Labour’s VAT raid on education.
Her story is one of disruption, loss, and heartbreak—a direct consequence of Labour policies that are hitting children and hardworking families across the country.
With permission from Ella and her parents (names changed for anonymity), we are sharing her words in full. No changes have been made to her words. We thought you might like to read them.
Dear Prime Minister Keir Starmer,
My name is Ella, I’m 14 years old and until last month, I had a life I absolutely loved. I went to a school where I felt safe, happy and challenged. I saw my best friends everyday. I had amazing teachers and I was working so hard to do well in my GCSEs next year. But now, everything has changed and it’s because of you.
Just after Christmas my parents sat me and my little sister down in the sitting room. I could tell something was wrong because they both looked so tired, like they hadn’t slept. My dad took my hand, and my mum started crying before she even spoke. That was when they told us. We couldn’t go back to our school.
They explained it as best they could. They told me about the VAT on private schools and how it meant our school fees would go up so much they just couldn’t afford it anymore. My mom and dad run their own business, and money has always been a bit tight but they made sacrifices so that my sister and I could have a good education. Now, not only do they have to find extra money for our new school supplies and uniforms, but their business is struggling too.
I’ve heard them arguing when they think we’re asleep. My dad says he might have to let some of his employees go because the extra national insurance hikes mean he can’t afford to keep everyone. They’ve built their company from scratch, and now it feels like it’s all falling apart. Every day, they look sadder. Every night, I pray they win the lottery, just so we can go back to normal.
I started my new state school in January, and I hate it. The classes are big and the teachers barely know my name. In my old school, we had an amazing PE teacher, and I was hoping to get into the county hockey team next year. Now, I don’t get to practice, and I doubt I’ll even be able to go to the trial. I’m not trying to be too moany as I know my new teachers do their best and there are a couple of really nice ones, but lessons are constantly interrupted and the boys have no discipline. Some of the girls are so mean too and I feel like I don’t belong. They have all been friends for years and they don’t let me join in. They call me a snob. I spend most lunch breaks by myself in the loos waiting for the day to end so I can go home. Then when I am home I spend all the time worrying about tomorrow. I am so unhappy. I just wish you hadn’t put the tax on school fees. Please, please, please can you take it off?
I check online all the time, hoping someone will say you’ve changed your mind, that you’re getting rid of the VAT so I can go back to my old school and see my friends. I never cared about politics before, but now it has ruined my life. I feel angry and helpless, and I don’t understand why you had to do this.
My mom was crying the other night saying we don’t go on holidays or have posh cars because they wanted to send Alice and I to private school and get a good education. But you have taken that away from us. It just doesn’t seem fair.
I know I’m just one person and you probably don’t care about me or my family. But I need you to know that what you’ve done is hurting people like us and families like mine who work hard, who run small businesses, who aren’t rich but just want the best for themselves. You’ve taken away my school, my friends, my future in hockey, and even my parents’ happiness.
I just want my life back. Please change your mind. I beg you.
Yours Sincerely,
Ella (Real name withheld)
Main image: For illustration purposes only. Image created with Grok
