Restore Britain’s approach to SEND - ensuring the right support, for the right child, in the right environment. We propose a fundamental overhaul of SEND provision. The current system is simply not working for British families. Our basic principle is as follows. Not every child learns in the same way, and certainly not every difference needs a diagnosis. Importantly - not every child can thrive in a traditional classroom environment. How a Restore Britain Government will fix it... Diagnosis. We will ensure children with genuine additional needs receive timely assessments and appropriate support. Don’t leave children to struggle for years in the classroom, it’s not fair on the child, the family, other pupils and staff. It disrupts everyone. Crucially, we will tackle over-diagnosis and misdiagnosis. Restore Britain will commission an independent review of diagnostic pathways, assessment standards and the evidence surrounding overdiagnosis, underdiagnosis and inconsistent practice. We are very, very clear - not every difference is a disorder. Medicalisation is an absolute last resort. Ordinary differences in personality and behaviour should not automatically be treated as medical conditions. Assessments must be thorough, evidence-based and consider a child's wider circumstances. There must be more rigorous diagnostic standards. Ensure assessments are conducted by appropriately qualified professionals using consistent, clinically recognised criteria. Children should receive appropriate assistance based on their individual needs, without being forced to obtain a medical diagnosis simply to access help. That is forcing children through a diagnostic system unnecessarily just so they can get support. It’s wrong. Different children have different ways of learning. Restore Britain will recognise those different learning styles and environments. Some children thrive academically, others through practical, technical, creative or hands-on learning. Schools will offer varied teaching approaches based on what helps pupils make progress. Struggling with maths is not a medical disorder requiring medication. For me this is hugely important - we will massively expand vocational and technical education. We will provide greater access to workshops, engineering, construction, agriculture, mechanics, computing and other practical subjects. All at a younger age. That means giving schools proper funding to invest in these facilities. Children getting frustrated because they struggle in a classroom will be given the opportunity to do what they are good at, and what they enjoy. Restore Britain will develop supported and funded apprenticeship pathways, meaningful work experience and real partnerships with local employers for young people with additional needs. Through my companies, we have developed thousands of apprentices - for young people, this is exactly what they need. Not nonsense degrees, but genuine skills. I've seen the good this can do. We will avoid a ‘one-size-fits-all system’. Ensure children are not unnecessarily confined to unsuitable teaching environments or shoved towards an academic journey which does not suit their skills. That has been a total nightmare for millions of children. Separately, outdoor education, sport and physical activity is vital. Let’s put physical activity back at the heart of education. Expand access to proper daily movement, PE, sport and structured outdoor activities, adapted to individual abilities and needs. We will increase outdoor learning. Encourage practical activities involving nature, gardening, farming and more to connect children with the outdoors. Let’s ensure children have opportunities for exercise and competitive sport. That means improving access to school sports, swimming, athletics and more. A Restore Britain Government will end the EHCP postcode lottery - there must be consistent national standards and timely delivery of legally required support. It should not depend on where you live. It’s simply unfair and unreasonable. We will expand specialist provision so it’s there for those who genuinely need it. Invest in specialist schools and units within mainstream schools, and properly trained support staff. British children who need the support must have access to it - improve SEND training, classroom resources and access to specialist advice, without expecting teachers to manage complex situations without adequate support. That is not fair on the teachers, and the whole classroom struggles. We will put parents in control through simplifying appeals, improving transparency and ensuring families are meaningfully involved in every decision about their children's education. But parents must also take responsibility. This matters. - Ensuring regular school attendance wherever reasonably possible. - Establishing sensible routines around sleep, nutrition, exercise and screen time. - Supporting appropriate standards of behaviour, discipline and respect at home. - Encouraging reading, learning, outdoor activities, sport and practical skills beyond the classroom. - Engaging constructively with the school. Central to everything - we must prepare children for adulthood and work. As discussed, we must create genuine routes into employment - expand supported internships, apprenticeships, vocational qualifications and employer partnerships. Where appropriate, teach practical skills such as cooking, budgeting, travel, communication and managing everyday responsibilities. A Restore Britain Government will help parents prepare their children for working life. But we will stop treating every childhood difference as a disorder, whilst ensuring that British children with genuine disabilities and additional needs receive the specialist help they deserve. More practical education. More apprenticeships. More opportunities to develop real skills. In short - better and more tailored help for those children who genuinely need it. That’s what Restore Britain will deliver.

We have taken the decision to legally challenge the Reform council's attempt to concrete over vital farmland in my constituency to build over 400 houses - they hold the power to stop this. I explain why we are fighting them...

20.9% of Brits aged 16-64 are 'economically inactive' - that means they're not in or looking for work. That's over nine million people. Unsustainable, unworkable, unacceptable.