Department for Education receive backlash over Gemma Collins videos

Education Secretary Phillipson, speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live about the backlash from the videos, said Collins has reach that “politicians can’t reach”.

“I think some of some of the discussion I’ve seen has veered between outright snobbery and just downright unpleasant, a bit of kill joy attitude, you know, there’s enough doom and gloom in the world.”

She said Collins was really keen to stress how important it is for children to try hard in school, at a time where “in some parts of the country people don’t see doing well in school as being the route to a good life”.

“If she can get that message across to some of the young people that frankly don’t really care what the secretary of state of our education’s got to say about the topic, then I think that’s good for all of us.”

Arguing the campaign reached people they would not normally, she said: “That’s really important. If we want every family to know what’s out there, to know the support that’s available, and to understand what the vocational routes are for young people that we’re just announcing today.”