Skip to playerSkip to main content
  • 2 days ago
Sir Keir Starmer says that his brother, Nick, was a victim of a Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) system that "didn't work for him" while he was at school, meaning that he moved "from one job to another in virtual poverty". The Prime Minister made the remarks while hosting SEND leaders at Downing Street. Report by Ketchs. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
Transcript
00:00We often say in our country that every child goes or should go as far as their talent or ability
00:07will take them.
00:08And it sounds a good thing to say, but it's honoured in the breach.
00:13For so many children, they're held back by a system that doesn't work for them.
00:18I've got examples in my own family.
00:20So I'm sitting here with the great privilege of sitting here as Prime Minister, having come from a working-class
00:25background.
00:26My brother, Nick, who sadly died of cancer a year ago, boxing there, had difficulties learning at school.
00:34And he was put to one side.
00:36He had to fight even to be seen, to be counted.
00:40And his life was very different from mine.
00:42He spent his adult life wandering from one job to another in virtual poverty because the system didn't work for
00:50him.
00:50He couldn't be seen.
00:51He couldn't be acknowledged.
00:53Now I'm not saying for a moment there haven't been huge improvements since then, but that same sense is still
00:59there of children that cannot find the opportunities and the chances that they need to go as far as their
01:06talents and their ability will take them.
Comments

Recommended