Make or break: The SEND reforms Keir Starmer must win

Politico Europe · Feb 23, 2026 · Collected from RSS

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A royal arrest and a new cabinet secretary welcome the prime minister back from recess week but with a crucial by-election and significant white paper on special educational needs, can the government get things back on track? Sam and Anne examine the details of SEND white paper in England, looking at the challenges facing the reforms and whether the system, and its costs, are spiralling out of control? Will the government learn from previous rebellions to get tricky legislation through, or will this be another example of trouble down the tracks? Elsewhere, is the newly appointed head of the civil service — Antonia Romeo — already under pressure over an alleged cover-up? Plus, are certain government departments already talking about a potential reshuffle? **A message from Amazon: Amazon offers term-time working to employees, guaranteeing 10 weeks off every year through a mix of paid and unpaid leave. So when the kids are on a school break, employees can take one too. Learn more about the benefits that Amazon offers to support employees and their families at aboutamazon.co.uk.**