Britain's strictest headteacher Katharine Birbalsingh has called on Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to do the "clever thing" and remove Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson from her post.
Speaking to GB News, Birbalsingh claimed that the Labour Government has made a "pig's ear" of the education system in Britain, and that Phillipson "isn't interested" in improving the country's schools.
After allegedly "blindsiding" her Government with controversial school reforms, the Education Secretary is widely expected to be moved - according to Labour insiders.
Starmer is tipped to undergo a cabinet reshuffle next month - with Phillipson one of the favourites to go.
Katharine Birbalsingh called on Keir Starmer to 'do the clever thing' and remove Bridget Phillipson as Education Secretary
GB News / PA
When asked by host Camilla Tominey for her verdict on the possible demotion, Birbalsingh welcomed the move: "That would be a very clever thing from Keir Starmer.
"She's clearly made a pig's ear of all of this - she hasn't listened to school leaders, she isn't interested in improving schools, and a clever move from Keir Starmer would be to move her on and put somebody in who is willing to discuss and interact with us school leaders and listen to what works."
Offering further criticism of Phillipson, Birbalsingh added: "Ultimately, that's the job of an Education Secretary, to respect us. The Department for education, their official response to me was 'she doesn't need any lectures, she's lived it'.
"And this response of 'we know what's better for children in schools than you do, because anybody who's been to school knows what's good for children', that's just wrong."
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PAHighlighting that the leaders of the education industry is a "profession just like any other", Birbalsingh made clear that they "deserve respect" from the Government.
She explained: "Our profession is a profession just like any others, and we deserve respect. And we deserve the politicians at least listening to us, those of us who have been super successful to see how is it that you get disadvantaged children succeeding? How do you enable social mobility?
"For teachers, recruitment is a massive problem, and the Education Secretary is about to shut down one of those possible routes."
Noting the extent of her efforts in getting Labour's reforms overturned, Birbalsingh told GB News she has taken a box of more than 800 letters to the House of Lords in her fight against it.
Birbalsingh told GB News that Phillipson is 'undoing' what the Tories achieved with education
GB News
Birbalsingh said: "She [Phillipson] hasn't been to visit the top schools in the country that have amazing progress. She isn't talking to us successful school leaders and finding out why it is we are successful. I've actually written 829 letters and dropped them at the House of Lords, just this week.
"I took a big box. It was very heavy with of all the letters, and took them to the House of Lords to ask the Lords to put in very the five amendments that we school leaders will want. But I know that the home educators, for instance, are asking for over 200 amendments."
Noting the work of the Tories that has been "undone" since coming into office, Birbalsingh concluded: "The reforms that were made by the conservative government over the time that they were in power have vastly improved education. Any sensible education secretary would continue in that vein.
"But I think that she thinks that she must undo what the Tories achieved simply because she's Labour, and that's crazy. Why not just continue in the same manner and keep improving our schools?"
