Ruth Kelly

Ruth Kelly is a former Labour politician who served as the UK's Education Secretary from 2004 to 2006. She is currently newsworthy due to her involvement in discussions surrounding reforms to the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) system in England. Recently, she co-signed an open letter with four other former Education Secretaries urging Labour MPs to support the government's proposed SEND reforms, framing it as a crucial opportunity to improve a struggling system. Separately, she and another former Education Secretary have called for the government to restore “sanity and certainty” to the SEND system, highlighting concerns that funding increases have disproportionately benefited more affluent areas, leaving deprived areas behind. Her experience as Education Secretary gives her commentary on current SEND issues significant weight.