The Times and the Yorkshire Post have articles in their newspapers today reporting on Labours manifesto.
Labour claims 1.3m extra children will benefit from the party’s pledge to overhaul “patchy” childcare provision by rolling out free care to all two to four-year-olds.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has promised to extend 30 hours of free childcare each week to all children before they start school, regardless of family circumstances, claiming that currently only 40% of two-year-olds qualify while many working parents with three and four-year-old children are missing out.
Labour said many families were not using their entitlements, because the system was difficult to navigate and many providers did not accept children entitled to free hours.
Labour would replace parent subsidies with direct government investment into services, and would spend £5bn more a year on childcare than the Conservatives by the end of the next parliament.
Mr Corbyn said: “The Labour party believes every child, no matter what their background, deserves a good start in life, and that childcare costs shouldn’t be a barrier for parents who want to go back to work.”
