There’s nothing conservative about the Tories’ free childcare rollout

On Monday, the UK welfare state will expand to cover 15 hours of free childcare for working parents with two-year-olds. In September, this will be extended to infants of nine months or more. Next year, cover doubles to 30 hours. The total cost: £5.3 billion a year. It’s the ‘largest ever expansion of childcare in England’s history,’ says Gillian Keegan, the Education Secretary.

What is conservative about this? Nothing, of course. It pushes up costs and taxes. But the idea, at the time, was to to do this before Labour proposed it. To shoot Labour’s fox. The problem is that fox is running around because even Labour think this is too much, and is perhaps undeliverable. Bridget Phillipson, the Shadow Education Secretary, says she’d put the whole scheme on pause, pending review. 

I can see why Phillipson is sceptical. Why should the childcare costs of millionaires be covered – to the tune of £6,900 a year – by the average taxpayer on £28,000 a year? And who on earth will look after the 285,000 one-year-olds and 323,000 two-years-olds eligible for the scheme? Given the worker shortage crisis (linked to the current welfare crisis) it’s by no means sure that nurseries will be able to find the 27,500 extra staff expected.