'We're not bringing back stupid' insists Lucy Powell as she defends Labour's education reforms - and dubs her Whitehall team the 'Department for Hope'

See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source Published: 09:42 EDT, 27 September 2026 | Updated: 09:47 EDT, 27 September 2026 Labour's Lucy Powell today insisted 'we're not bringing back stupid' as she defended the Government's education reforms.In a speech to her party's annual conference in Liverpool, the Education Secretary hit back at Tory claims she is 'dumbing down' the country's schools.She branded her Department for Education as the 'Department for Hope' as she vowed to stop young people 'checking out' of education.Ms Powell, who is also Labour's deputy leader, recently unveiled plans for new vocational GCSEs to sit alongside traditional GCSEs.The new subjects offered could include business management and finance, child development, creative media production, and building and construction. But the Tories have warned the Government's plans risk throwing away the progress made in improving standards across the education system.Michael Gove - who was education secretary in the previous Conservative administration between 2010 and 2014 - is among those to have attacked Ms Powell's agenda.He has criticised her claim that an 'over-focus on academic outcomes' in schools has 'left too many young people behind'. Labour's Lucy Powell insisted 'we're not bringing back stupid' as she defended the Government's education reforms In a speech to her party's annual conference in Liverpool, the Education Secretary hit back at Tory claims she is 'dumbing down' the country's schoolsMs Powell has claimed schools are stuck in a 'straitjacket' of being forced to prioritise only academic subject such as English, science and history.She has signalled her intent to roll back education reforms introduced by Lord Gove, and directly blamed him for the number of young people not in education, training or work - so-called 'NEETs'.In her party conference speech on Sunday, Ms Powell told Labour members that 'a one-size-fits-all' education system was not suitable in 'this fast-changing, technological age'.'We have a duty to equip young people with the knowledge, know-how and skills they need to thrive,' she said.'Not a one-size-fits-all system that sets some up for failure by only offering a narrow view of what good is, nor one stuck in the past, unwilling and unable to adapt.'Our schools are now some of the best in the world and we should celebrate that. But we can also recognise that it's not working for everyone.'Responding to the criticism of her reforms, Ms Powell added: 'You might have seen Michael Gove and his acolytes criticising us. He said I was bringing back stupid.'Well, I'll tell you what's stupid, only choosing to see one side of the story. I'll tell you what's stupid, being stuck in the past whilst the world changes fast.'And I'll tell you what's stupid, claiming to be evidence-led while saying you've had enough of the experts.'She continued: 'We're not bringing back stupid, conference - we're bringing back hope. A Department for Hope with a prospectus for change.'If a young person believes that education will open doors for them, they'll turn up. They'll work hard. But when they don't, they check out.'