Education secretary Bridget Phillipson on Sky News

Bridget Phillipson hit out at the Conservatives over their plans to vote down Labour’s proposed legislation to increase protection for children this morning.

The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill intends to prevent vulnerable pupils from disappearing within the education system but the Tories want to vote against the plans.

They want to add an amendment to force the government to hold a new public inquiry into grooming gangs.

It comes as the opposition join tech billionaire Elon Musk in their attacks on Labour in a furious war of words.

The government is standing firm, and refusing to call a new probe into gang rape scandals, claiming now is the time to deliver the recommendations of a previous child abuse inquiry by Professor Alexis Jay, which reported in 2022.

Speaking to Sky News this morning, Phillipson said: “The Conservatives can back this, or as they’re proposing, can kill stone-dead this key landmark legislation.”

She said the Conservatives keep saying they care about keeping children safe, adding: “Well, they should put up or shut up, and vote for........

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