Public schools and the public Why Eton, Harrow, Rugby and the rest thrived. With varying degrees of enthusiasm, Labour leaders have promised for the past 80 years to “do something” about fee-charging private schools. The 2019 election manifesto pledged to “close the tax loopholes” they enjoy and seek advice on “integrating [them] and creating a comprehensive education system”. This was a considerably weaker commitment than the announcement in 1973 by Roy Hattersley, then shadow education secretary, of “our serious intention… eventually to abolish private education” or the proposal from Labour’s national executive in 1943 that “all children… shall be required to attend schools provided by the state”.