Minister’s controversial academies reforms accused of being ‘betrayal of Blair’s legacy’ in a part of ‘plot to succeed Keir Starmer’

Bridget Phillipson has been accused of a ‘betrayal of Blair’s legacy’ as part of a bid to succeed Keir Starmer as Labour leader.

The Education Secretary last night faced claims her controversial school academy reforms are an attempt to play down her Blairite reputation and curry favour with Left-wing Labour MPs crucial to a potential leadership challenge.

Labour insiders said that this was behind her determination last week to revise aspects of the school academy programme seen by Sir Tony’s allies as one of the crowning achievements of his government.

The claims come as Sir Keir’s poll ratings sparked talk among Labour MPs he would be replaced before the next election.

Last night sources close to Ms Phillipson dismissed the plot claims as ‘simply laughable’ and denied her reforms amounted to a betrayal of Sir Tony’s work. 

However, Labour MP Siobhain McDonagh said she would be surprised if the former PM was happy with Ms Phillipson’s proposals.

The Mitcham and Morden MP said Sir Tony regarded the academy reforms ‘as a great success and I know it’s a great success in my constituency’. 

The creation of the new type of academy, free from local authority control and focused on deprived areas, was seen as one of the major achievements of the Blair premiership.

But the Tories say Ms Phillipson’s proposed changes in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill amount to ‘educational vandalism’ – with one Labour MP even saying the proposals could be seen as a ‘betrayal of Blair’s legacy’.

And a Labour source told The Mail on Sunday that Ms Phillipson’s name was for the first time being touted as a potential successor should Sir Keir be forced to stand down before the next election. 

He said: ‘She is seen as highly intelligent, but most people say she’s a sort of Blairite at a time when the Parliamentary Labour Party has really moved on from that era.

‘So the academies reform might be a bid to establish herself as different to that.’

However, a source close to the Education Secretary said last night: ‘These simply laughable claims show some people have forgotten Tony Blair’s greatest lesson for our party — we win when we look forward not back.

‘As a beneficiary of the transformation the last Labour government made to education, Bridget is proudly building on this legacy to secure brilliant outcomes for every child.

‘Bridget’s reforms will ensure every child in every school has a guarantee of a high standard curriculum, expert qualified teachers, and flexibility for schools to drive innovation and improvement.

‘Bridget’s only focus is on being Education Secretary and transforming the life chances of children — the best job in government.’

Sir Tony declined to comment last night. But sources pointed out that in 2021 the former PM criticised the direction the 2010 Tory/Lib Dem coalition had taken on the academies programme.