Actor Simon Pegg has lashed out at Rishi Sunak’s plans to make children study maths until the age of 18, calling the Prime Minister a “pr***” in a video shared online.
The Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead star took to Instagram to criticise the PM for neglecting to support the arts or creative industries in the country, instead focusing on creating “a drone army of data-entering robots.”
In his first speech of 2023 on Wednesday, Sunak spoke about his mission to combat high rates of innumeracy in England.
Simon Pegg called Rishi Sunak a "pr***"
Instagram / Simon Pegg
But he said it would not mean a compulsory A Level for maths for everyone.
“We need to support good teaching and spread best practice with a plan to improve attainment in primary schools. Next, we need to stop seeing education is something that ends at age 18 or that sees university as the only option with more technical education, lifelong learning and apprenticeship.”
He told an audience in Stratford: “This is personal for me. Every opportunity I’ve had in life began with the education I was so fortunate to receive. And it’s the single most important reason why I came into politics: to give every child the highest possible standard of education.
"Thanks to the reforms we’ve introduced since 2010, and the hard work of so many excellent teachers, we’ve made incredible progress.
"With the right plan – the right commitment to excellence – I see no reason why we cannot rival the best education systems in the world”.
The Prime Minister added: “One of the biggest changes in mindset we need in education today is to reimagine our approach to numeracy. Right now, just half of all 16 to 19-year-olds study any maths at all.
"Yet in a world where data is everywhere and statistics underpin every job, our children’s jobs will require more analytical skills than ever before. And letting our children out into the world without those skills, is letting our children down.”
Simon Pegg criticised the Prime Minister on social media
Instagram / Simon Pegg
“Just imagine what greater numeracy will unlock for – people the skills to feel confident with your finances, to find the best mortgage deal. The ability to do your job better and get paid more and greater self-confidence to navigate a changing world.”
Taking to Instagram, the British actor slammed the PMs decision to focus on maths and not the arts.
“So Rishi Sunak, our unmandated, unelected prime minister twice removed, has decided it should be compulsory for children to learn Maths up until the age of 18 – what a pr***.
“What about arts and humanities and fostering this country's amazing reputation for creativity and self-expresison? What about that? What about the kids that don't want to do Maths? I hated Maths. I dropped Maths as soon as I could and I’ve never needed it other than the skillset I acquired at the age of 12.
“But no. Rishi Sunak wants a f***ing drone army of data-entering robots.”
He ended his explicit rant saying: “F*** the Tories. Get rid of them. Please! F*** you, Rishi Sunak, and f*** the Tories.”
