Labour Party members have backed a move to “integrate” private schools into the state sector, approving the motion to be included in the party’s next general election manifesto. The vote in favour of the motion came after shadow education secretary Angela Rayner said a future Labour government would scrap the “tax loopholes” which benefit private schools, in its first budget. Speaking at the Labour Party conference in Brighton, Ms Rayner said she will task the Social Mobility Commission – which the party would rename the Social Justice Commission – with “integrating private schools”.

She added: “We will set that commission to making the whole education system fairer through the integration of private schools.

“Myself and John McDonnell will set out further steps the Labour government will take, but I can say today that our very first budget will immediately close the tax loopholes used by elite private schools and use that money to improve the lives of all children.”

The motion on private schools, moved by Battersea Constituency Labour Party, said conference believes Labour “must go further” than the 2017 manifesto to challenge the “elite privilege” of private schools who “dominate the top professions”.

The motion added: “The ongoing existence of private schools is incompatible with Labour’s pledge to promote social justice, not social mobility in education.”

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But how many Labour MPs went to private school? Did Jeremy Corbyn?

Jeremy Corbyn

Jeremy Corbyn himself studied at Castle House Preparatory private school, in Shropshire, from age seven to age 11.

He was then was a day student at Adam’s Grammar School.

Despite his private schooling, Mr Corbyn’s marriage to second wife Claudia Bracchita disintegrated over where to send his son Benjamin for his education.

Ms Bracchita wanted to send Benjamin to a grammar school but Mr Corbyn instead wanted him to attend a comprehensive school in his Islington North constituency.

Mr Corbyn did not manage to convince his wife and the pair divorced in 1999 with Ms Bracchita saying: “I could not compromise my son’s future for my husband’s career.”

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Diane Abbot

Hackney North MP Diane Abbot criticised colleague Harriet Harmon for choosing a grammar school for her children.

Ms Abbott claimed: “She made the Labour Party look as if we do one thing and say another.”

However, Ms Abbott was herself criticised and accused of hypocrisy when she chose to send her son to a private school.

Ms Abbott said there were no schools in her area good enough for her son, saying: “It’s absolutely true that it’s inconsistent, to put it mildly, for someone who believes in a fairer and more egalitarian society to send their child to a private, fee-paying school.

“I’ve always believed that private schools prop up the class structure of society.

“It’s inconsistent, it’s indefensible and that’s why I haven’t sought to defend it.”

James Schneider

James Schneider, director of strategic communications attended Winchester College, which is one of the oldest public schools in England.

Mr Schneider then studied at Trinity College, Oxford, where he was the president of Oxford University Liberal Democrats.

Seumas Milne

Seumas Milne, director of communications and strategy also attended Winchester College in Hampshire.

Mr Milne is the son of a former BBC Director-General and at school in 1974 stood in a mock election at the school on a Maoist Party ticket.

He also sent both of his children to Grammar Schools.

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Shami Chakrabarti

Shadow Attorney-General Shami Chakrabarti sent her children to private school, despite critiquing Theresa May’s plans to introduce more grammar schools.

Appearing on Peston on Sunday in 2016, Ms Chakrabarti lashed out at “segregation in schooling” before being reminded her son attended private school.

Ms Chakrabarti sent her son to £18,000 a year Dulwich College and said: “I live a charmed and privileged life, much more now than I ever did when I was a child, but people on the left have often had charmed and privileged lives.

“I live in a nice big house, and eat nice food, and my neighbours are homeless, and go to food banks. Does that make me a hypocrite, or does it make me someone who is trying to do best, not just for my own family, but for other people’s families too?

“And this thing about selection – if you’ve got money you will always be all right. If you don’t have money in this country you are increasingly not all right, and that is why I have joined the Labour Party.”

Valerie Vaz

Shadow leader of the House of Commons Valerie Vaz attended Twickenham County Grammar School, before studying at Bedford College, University of London.

The MP for Walsall South also sent her daughter to £18,500 per year Latymer Upper School in Hammersmith.

Emily Thornberry

Emily Thornberry herself attended a secondary modern school but chose to send her children to selective schools.

One of her sons was educated at the partially selective Dame Alice Owen’s state school, for which Ms Thornberry was criticised.

Chris Woodhead, the former chief inspector of schools, said: “I celebrate her good sense as a parent and deplore her hypocrisy as a politician.

“When will those who espouse the virtues of comprehensive education apply the logic of their political message to their children?”

It was later revealed her daughter also attended Dame Alice Owen’s state school.

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