Keir: No child left behind

KEIR Starmer has vowed no child will be left behind as he set his sights on inequalities plaguing schools.

- LIZZY BUCHAN

In his first interview of the year, the Prime Minister said he would wipe out the North-South divide in which the gulf in kids getting the top grades has widened.

And Mr Starmer said he would stop children “falling through the cracks”, with a register of homeschooling to ensure tragic cases like the murder of Sara Sharif never happen again.

Speaking in Downing Street, the PM said this year will be about “delivery, delivery, delivery”, after a bumpy first six months in office.

The government has faced criticism over the cut to the winter fuel allowance for pensioners and the decision not to compensate WASPI women who lost out due to a rise in the state pension age.

Asked if he was delivering for voters who put him in No10, he said: “Yes, we were voted in to change the terrible failures of the last 14 years.”

It comes as a landmark bill to protect kids and drive up school standards will take its first step towards becoming law today as it is debated by MPs. The attainment gap has widened since the pandemic, with experts blaming funding and cost-of-living issues for worsening outcomes outside London and the South East.