Tiger mum' Lucy Powell on Labour's vocational skills drive: 'It's about ambition for everybody'

Lucy Powell, the UK’s new education secretary, defended Labour’s push to expand vocational routes while maintaining academic standards, saying critics are presenting a “false trade-off.” In an interview with The Guardian, Powell argued that secondary students should pursue excellence in both academic subjects and high-quality technical training. She said she wants to be a “tiger mum” for all young people, adding she does not have “lower ambition” for students who take technical pathways. Powell also responded to concerns about school funding, insisting any specific proposals would be fully funded. She urged schools in England to adapt curricula to local business needs, as part of efforts to address a jobs crisis for young people.