A dispute has erupted between Reform and Labour over comments made about pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
On Sunday, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson condemned Reform for making what she called “shameful comments” about vulnerable children. She said these remarks had “caused considerable concern among the SEND community.”
The controversy began after Nigel Farage, leader of Reform, suggested last month that mental illness was being overdiagnosed in children. He claimed this was “creating a class of victims” in the UK.
At a press conference in Dover in April, Mr Farage said: “I think we are massively overdiagnosing those with mental illness problems and those with other general behavioural disabilities. And I think we’re creating a class of victims in Britain that will struggle ever to get out of it.
“And if you are told you’re a victim, and you think you’re a victim, you are likely to stay [a victim].”
Ms Phillipson added that David Bull, Reform’s spokesman, later reinforced Mr Farage’s remarks. She said he had said on national television during local election coverage that “many of these kids are naughty kids, bad parenting.”
In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, the Education Secretary wrote: “Reform council leaders must distance themselves from these shameful comments and protect children with SEND from their ideological cuts.
“Recognising children’s needs is not ‘creating a class of victims’. It’s not down to ‘naughty children’ or ‘bad parenting’.”
