A fiery confrontation erupted on GB News as Reform UK's Doge leader Zia Yusuf repeatedly pressed Labour MP Barry Gardiner to clarify whether the Government plans to cut spending on children with special educational needs and disabilities.The heated exchange saw Yusuf demand a straight answer about whether "the net cost to the Exchequer" would increase or decrease under Labour's policies.The confrontation comes as ministers consider scrapping education, health and care plans (EHCPs) for Send pupils under a wholesale review of the current system.Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson repeatedly refused to rule out axing EHCPs when questioned by the BBC, declining three times to confirm whether the legally binding documents would remain.READ THE FULL STORY HERE
00:00And above all, if it were simply, I mean, you've actually said that the welfare spending is too high.
00:05So, you know, you're arguing against your own position.
00:09And what was it Nigel Farage said about diagnosing children with additional needs?
00:13He said it's creating a class of victims and party spokesmen blame naughty children and bad parenting.
00:21That complete, you know, parents watching this, understanding that your party has said that their child's special educational needs are a result of bad parenting and naughty children.
00:34They'll think you just don't know what ordinary people's lives are like.
00:38They are struggling with these needs for their children.
00:42They're struggling to get the support.
00:44What this government is doing is providing it.
00:46OK, so just to be clear, Barry, you're claiming that as a result of these policies, more money will be spent on welfare for SEND children, not less.
00:54Is that what you're saying?
00:55No.
00:55OK, well, that's what you just said.
00:57So you are reducing spending.
00:58It's not what I just said.
01:00And let me cash it out for you if you were confused about it in any way, Zia.
01:05I am often confused, Barry, so please do.
01:07What I've said is that if you spend money on prevention, if you get children early, if you make sure that that support is in place right from the beginning, then the problems that at the moment are manifesting themselves as a result of a failure.
01:22Barry, I'm still not hearing an answer to my question.
01:24This is the answer to your question.
01:25Is this spending up or down?
01:26This is the answer to your question.
01:28Then ultimately, at the end of the day, you're not going to get those same problems that you need to spend billions on at the end of the day.
01:36But it's getting it right.
01:37It's supporting families.
01:39It's supporting children.
01:40And this is not about some Johnny-come-lately scheme.
01:44If you look at our manifesto, if you look at what Bridget Philipson set out there about supporting families, about best practice hubs, about the sort of sure start mark two, that's been there right from the beginning.
01:59So it's absolutely a commitment that we made to the electorate.
02:03It's a commitment that we were elected upon.
02:05And now we're delivering.
02:06Do you think people voted you in to cut welfare spending?
02:08Do you really think that's what people voted Labour for?
02:10And I want to answer my – this is my fundamental question, Barry, because you haven't answered it.
02:14Do you think they're voting for a form to cut welfare spending?
02:17Because that's what you've claimed.
02:19Barry, what I'm saying is this.
02:20The whole auspice upon which this has been generated and is now being discussed and put forward is on the basis that welfare spending for British people needs to be cut.
02:29And you are – it's still unclear.
02:31Are you saying that the net cost to the exchequer will be up or down?
02:34You're absolutely wrong.
02:37One word, up or down, Barry.
02:39That is not the premise.
02:41OK, that's not the reason.
02:42OK, but you're not answering the question.
02:43I am answering the question.
02:44You just don't like the answer, Zia.
02:46The answer is that ultimately it will cost – the whole system will cost less because we're putting more money in the beginning in prevention.
02:54So you're reducing spending.
02:55And ultimately it will therefore cause less.
02:57So you're reducing spending while spending on foreign citizens continues to spiral out of control, Barry.
03:03The purpose of it is to solve the problem.
03:05And that's what you don't like, Zia.
03:08Barry, thank you for answering the question.
03:09So you're saying spending will come down for British SEND children.
03:14And while that's happening, we have an endless – on a daily basis, hundreds of people, foreign, unvetted people coming across the channel illegally.
03:22We have billions to spend on foreign aid or tens of billions of pounds to spend on the crazy, mad net zero and climate capture projects.
03:31But apparently there's no money left for British people.
