GB News host Martin Daubney was overcome with emotion as a struggling mum told the People's Channel how she has been forced to work seven days a week to help fund her disabled son's private education, following Labour's tax raid.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has defended the policy despite widespread criticism across the political spectrum, telling GB News that she has "no reason to move away from it".
Sharing her story with Martin Daubney, mum and campaigner Leanne Gunns explained how her son Charlie has special educational needs, and requires private education - as state schools "provide no educational offering" for him.
Gunns explained: "For my son in particular, it's really difficult because there isn't actually any education offering in the state sector whatsoever.
"He's super bright, so therefore the specialist provision isn't suitable. But equally, he would not be able to access education in a large class size.
"He has a hearing impairment, he has sensory needs and he uses a wheelchair - and he just would not be able to access any form of education.
"So for him, we literally do not have any other option but to look at the independent sector."
Hitting out at Labour's handling of the policy, Gunns argued that the VAT raid has been marketed as a "luxury" and a "tax on the rich", when in fact there are many disabled children who benefit from private education.
She told GB News: "It's been marketed as a tax on the rich, but actually it's not affecting the people that are rich - it's affecting people like us - normal, everyday working people that are working really hard to give our children an education that they can access.
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"We're not even looking at this as a luxury. We are looking at it as a basic human right for your child to learn in a school, it's not like we're asking for a lot."
Detailing the personal impact the tax hike has had on her, Gunns told Martin that she now has to work "seven days a week" to raise the money to help fund Charlie's schooling.
She explained: "For people like me that are ordinary working mums, it's having a massive impact. I'm currently working seven days a week - I start work first thing in the morning around 5am, do a couple of hours work before I take him to school, and then I'm back home working in the evening. It's been relentless.
"Taxing education is the most ludicrous piece of legislation I've ever seen. It's like a tax on ambition, it's a tax on people's futures."
Overcome with emotion, Martin hailed Gunns and her efforts to help her son, telling her: "You're a wonderful parent, you're working your socks off for your boy. You are absolutely a credit to yourself, to your family, to your child, to the nation.
"Honestly, I'm getting a bit choked here myself now. I've got two kids and I know I would die for my children, and you've put yourself through the mill."
When asked by Martin if she hopes for a U-turn on the policy, Gunns concluded: "We have seen in the news recently loads about Pip and welfare cuts for disabled people - well, sorry, but the disabled community still needs an education.
"If you want them to be like productive members of society, they need to be educated and educated well in a way that they can actually access it.
"One size education does not fit all, and that's unfortunately what the Labour Government is pushing on to us at the moment."
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Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has defended the policy despite widespread criticism across the political spectrum, telling GB News that she has "no reason to move away from it".
Sharing her story with Martin Daubney, mum and campaigner Leanne Gunns explained how her son Charlie has special educational needs, and requires private education - as state schools "provide no educational offering" for him.
Gunns explained: "For my son in particular, it's really difficult because there isn't actually any education offering in the state sector whatsoever.
"He's super bright, so therefore the specialist provision isn't suitable. But equally, he would not be able to access education in a large class size.
"He has a hearing impairment, he has sensory needs and he uses a wheelchair - and he just would not be able to access any form of education.
"So for him, we literally do not have any other option but to look at the independent sector."
Hitting out at Labour's handling of the policy, Gunns argued that the VAT raid has been marketed as a "luxury" and a "tax on the rich", when in fact there are many disabled children who benefit from private education.
She told GB News: "It's been marketed as a tax on the rich, but actually it's not affecting the people that are rich - it's affecting people like us - normal, everyday working people that are working really hard to give our children an education that they can access.
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"We're not even looking at this as a luxury. We are looking at it as a basic human right for your child to learn in a school, it's not like we're asking for a lot."
Detailing the personal impact the tax hike has had on her, Gunns told Martin that she now has to work "seven days a week" to raise the money to help fund Charlie's schooling.
She explained: "For people like me that are ordinary working mums, it's having a massive impact. I'm currently working seven days a week - I start work first thing in the morning around 5am, do a couple of hours work before I take him to school, and then I'm back home working in the evening. It's been relentless.
"Taxing education is the most ludicrous piece of legislation I've ever seen. It's like a tax on ambition, it's a tax on people's futures."
Overcome with emotion, Martin hailed Gunns and her efforts to help her son, telling her: "You're a wonderful parent, you're working your socks off for your boy. You are absolutely a credit to yourself, to your family, to your child, to the nation.
"Honestly, I'm getting a bit choked here myself now. I've got two kids and I know I would die for my children, and you've put yourself through the mill."
When asked by Martin if she hopes for a U-turn on the policy, Gunns concluded: "We have seen in the news recently loads about Pip and welfare cuts for disabled people - well, sorry, but the disabled community still needs an education.
"If you want them to be like productive members of society, they need to be educated and educated well in a way that they can actually access it.
"One size education does not fit all, and that's unfortunately what the Labour Government is pushing on to us at the moment."
Find Out More...