Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has been blasted for refusing to comment on a police investigation involving a nine-year-old primary school pupil over a non-crime hate incident, with her response branded "absolutely bananas".
Phillipson's stance, maintaining that politicians should not interfere with operational policing matters, sparked outrage on GB News this morning.
Director of Popular Conservatism Mark Littlewood fumed: "She's gone mad, hasn't she? I mean, it's quite clearly wrong in principle.
"You might say, I haven't read all of the details. Perhaps, you know, a punch was thrown or threatened to be thrown, but in principle nine, you're absolutely bananas.
Mark Littlewood branded the comments "absolutely bananas"
GB News
"She accepts she's responsible for what happens in the classroom, Well, why on earth does she have no opinion about what happened in this classroom, which seems to be a complete overreaction to a minor tiff?"
Former Labour advisor Matthew Torbitt responded: "Well, I suppose if you're going to get involved in every classroom squabble that may come up on the news, it's a very dangerous precedent to set."
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He added: "I can't believe I'm sat here sort of trying to defend this because it is ludicrous.
"But if I'm trying to be fair, if she's to weigh in on every little thing that comes up, she's got greater priorities than just that."
GB News host Andrew Pierce was also left outraged by the response from the Labour MP and said: "She was told about this yesterday. She has had a good 20 hours to get to the bottom of this.
"She's the Secretary of State for education, maybe she could get to that head teacher.
Bridget Phillipson refused to comment on the investigation
GB News
"She could get to the police force involved, It's not difficult. I was raging at the screen thinking for God's sake, woman, just say in principle, this is insanity."
The nine-year-old student was investigated after calling a fellow primary school pupil a "r****d", according to documents obtained through a Freedom of Information request.
The case was one of several non-crime hate incidents (NCHIs) involving young people revealed in the investigation by The Times.
Matthew Torbitt said he struggled to defend the comments
GB News
In another instance, two secondary school girls were investigated after claiming a student smelled like fish.
In an interview with Good Morning Britain today, Philipson said: "As a point of principle, and I mean this sincerely, I think it's unwise for politicians to get involved in discussions around operational policing matters."
"I am responsible for what happens in our classrooms. I'm not responsible for the police forces in our country."
