A PARLIAMENTARY report from the Education Select Committee has the support of Copeland MP, Trudy Harrison.

The report described white working-class boys as being a 'let down group'; some highlights from the study state that at GCSE, in 2019, 18% of white British pupils on free meals achieved grade 4 in English and maths, compared with 23% for the average for pupils on free meals, and 16% of white British pupils on free meals get university places, compared with 59% of black African pupils on free meals, 59% of Bangladeshi pupils on free meals and 32% of black Caribbean pupils on free meals.

There were also suggestions that white working-class families should have access to strong early years support and Family Hubs which are local support centres where families with children and young people aged 0-19 can access a broad and integrated range of early help.

Trudy Harrison commented: "I really welcome the focus on Family Hubs within the report.

"Parents will always be the most influential people in their child’s life, for good or for worse.

"I also truly believe that the vast majority of parents want to be the best they can be, but life can be tough and get in the way of what we know is important.

"With a strong and positive network of family, friends and other support, teaching parenting skills and emotional attachment, we can ensure every baby and child has the best foundation for emotional strength and resilience, gains an appetite for education and lifelong learning."

Mark Jenkinson, the Conservative MP for Workington, said of the report: "I welcome the report and the conversations that we've been too scared to have in recent years.

"It recognises that boys of any background are let down, particularly those on free school meals."

"The idea of white privilege affecting these boys is failing our children from the outset.

"We want to ensure youngster are given according to their abilities regardless of their colour."

He also said that people are too scared to have these conversations, and Labour aren't prepared to either.