Reform UK's deputy leader has ignited a fierce political row after describing the sight of children wearing ear defenders in classrooms as "insane" and claiming conditions like ADHD are being overdiagnosed.
Westminster Press Conference Outburst
During a Westminster press conference on Monday, Richard Tice was outlining the progress of his party's Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) unit when he turned his attention to the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system.
Mr Tice warned of a crisis in the SEND system and made the controversial assertion that if this issue remains unresolved, there would be "no bins collected." He claimed Britain is experiencing a "crisis of overdiagnosis of children with neurodiverse issues."
When questioned about what Reform UK would do to address the situation, Tice proposed pushing responsibility back to schools. "The best thing to do actually, is to push almost all of it back to the schools. The schools know best, the teachers know best," he stated.
Controversial Comments on Support Measures
The Reform UK deputy leader went further, criticising the current approach to supporting neurodiverse pupils. "And stop labelling people, just say 'you need a bit of extra support, you might need a bit of extra time'," he advised.
He expressed concern that children without diagnostic labels were "starting to feel left out" and described this situation as "a sort of school joke."
Mr Tice then directly targeted a common classroom accommodation, stating: "I'll just raise one more point, the sight of children in classes wearing ear defenders, I'm sorry, this is just insane. It's got to stop. The teachers want it to stop. Heads want it to stop. It's not the right way forward."
Broader Context and Criticism
The comments come amid growing concerns about SEND funding. Recent research from the County Councils Network and Isos Partnership projects that SEND debts will reach £17.8 billion by 2029 - nearly £1,000 per child and young person in England.
Mr Tice also described annual reviews of Education, Health and Care Plans as "unnecessary" and claimed they cost "two to four grand a pop."
However, his remarks drew immediate criticism from advocacy groups. Joey Nettleton Burrows of the National Autistic Society responded strongly, saying: "Claiming there is 'overdiagnosis' couldn't be further from the truth. The system needs reform to meet the needs of all children."
Mr Burrows added that spreading these kinds of lies stigmatises autistic people and makes life harder for them and their families.
During the same conference, Tice highlighted that Reform-controlled local authorities were making savings totalling well over £300 million and that more than 136,000 potholes had been filled since the party's significant gains in the May local elections.
