Edinburgh’s schools are “fit to burst” and cannot afford an influx of children exiled from the capital’s private schools, Sir Keir Starmer has been warned.

Lib Dem MP Christine Jardine told the Prime Minister that many parents and teachers in the capital were worried by the UK Government’s plans to add VAT to the fees of independent schools.

Labour believes the change could raise an extra £1.7bn for the Treasury, with £150m in consequentials coming to Scotland.

READ MORE: Anas Sarwar defends Labour school fee VAT plan

While polling suggests the plan is popular, the proposal has infuriated parents who send their children to fee-paying establishments.

The situation is keenly felt in the capital, where between 25% - 30% of children are privately educated.

George Watson’s College in Edinburgh, the largest private school in Scotland, has already warned parents it will put fees up by 9% next year - from £15,951 to £17,388 - to cope with “current and future financial pressures”.

The Scottish Council of Independent Schools believes that the introduction of VAT will shrink the fee-paying sector by 13% and could mean 1,000 more pupils across Scotland relying on council-run services.

Speaking in the Commons during Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, Ms Jardine asked Sir Keir to “reassure the many parents and teachers in Edinburgh West who have expressed concerns about the implication for our state education system in Scotland of the VAT increase in independent fees, which he proposes.”

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She added: “Edinburgh City Council, led by the Labour Party, have produced five-year projections which show we do not have capacity in the city to accommodate pupils who may leave the independent sector.

“Moreover, how will he ensure that the VAT raised in Scotland from those fees can be reinvested in already hard-pressed Scottish education?”

Sir Keir replied: “I do obviously understand the aspiration that parents who work hard and save hard have for their children that they send to private school.

“But every parent has that aspiration, whichever school they go to.

“And I am determined that we will have the right teachers in place in our state secondary schools to ensure that every child, wherever they come from, whatever their background, has the same opportunity, and I do not apologise for that.”

READ MORE: UNSPUN Keir Starmer is right to apply VAT to private school fees

Speaking after PMQs, Ms Jardine said she was “disappointed to see the Prime Minister refuse to address the concerns of many parents and teachers in Edinburgh West about the impact of his plans for fees on our community.”

She added: “After 17 years of failure on education under the SNP, the last thing pupils and parents need is more disruption from this ill-conceived idea.

“The Council has been clear that our schools are already fit to burst. They cannot afford a surge in enrolment if parents move their pupils to the state sector.

“There must be a clear plan to boost funding for our schools and provide our pupils, parents and teachers with the schools, facilities and opportunities they deserve.”

Edinburgh Council has been approached for comment.