Childcare Bill

I think not. It is clear from the Bill that we both want to improve the well-being of young children and reduce inequalities between them. However, amendment No. 1 would remove the notion that the gap should be reduced. There is a simple explanation for that: in its heart, the Conservative party and its Front Benchers do not want to reduce the gap between rich and poor—they do not believe in that. That is a valid position, but it would be better to admit it. They are at odds with the remarks of the Conservative party’s policy chief. Conservative Front Benchers may shake their heads but there is a blatant contradiction between the amendment and the words of the Conservative policy chief.