logo
Keir Starmer responds after girl, 12, put in school isolation over Union Flag dress

Keir Starmer responds after girl, 12, put in school isolation over Union Flag dress

Daily Mirror15-07-2025
Courtney Wright, 12, was punished after celebrating culture day at her school by wearing a Union Flag dress and now she has had a show of support from PM Keir Starmer
A schoolgirl thrown into isolation just for wearing a Union Flag dress to celebrate being British at her school's culture day has been backed by the Prime Minister.

Straight A student Courtney Wright, 12, wore a Spice Girls -esque dress and wrote a piece about history and traditions as part of the celebrations last Friday. But she was told the dress was "unacceptable" - and was then hauled out of lessons and forced to sit in reception until her dad collected her.

Her dad Stuart Field, 47, said he was stunned to learn that his daughter had been segregated from her friends due to her choice of attire at Bilton School in Rugby, Warwickshire. In a permission letter sent to parents, it said the day was "designed to promote inclusion, understanding, and appreciation of different backgrounds, traditions and heritages".

The decision to punish her caused fury and PM Keir Starmer's spokesperson appeared to side with the schoolgirl and her family. They said: 'I think the school has put out a statement on this so I'm not going to comment further, but the Prime Minister has always been clear that being British is something to be celebrated.'
Dad Stuart said the school's actions went against its message and other pupils with St George's flags and Welsh flags were also turned away from the school gates. He said: "Courtney was so embarrassed and couldn't understand what she'd done wrong. It's the school who have made it political and it went against everything the event was being held for. She chose the dress and wrote the piece off her own back.

"They day was to celebrate everyone's cultures and Courtney chose this Union Flag dress so she could celebrate hers. She also wrote this speech to go with it and was very proud of what she'd done. The next thing I get a call at work at around 9am to say she's not allowed in school dressed like that and that it was unacceptable.
"I wasn't able to get away from work until about midday. They made her sit in reception all morning in front of the receptionists and kept her in isolation. She should not be made to feel embarrassed about being British. And she shouldn't be punished for celebrating being British - nobody else I've spoken to can quite get their heads around it.

"Somebody at the school has politicised a Union Jack dress even though that was clearly not Courtney's intent. Courtney didn't do anything to be political. It's about being British, the Spice Girls and even the freedom at being able to wear a dress. This is just what being British means to her."
The school contacted Stuart over the weekend and have since apologised for the move. A spokesman for Stowe Valley Trust said: "At Bilton School, we are proud of the diversity of our students and the rich heritage they bring to our community. We are committed to fostering an environment where every pupil feels respected, valued, and included.
"On Friday 11th July, an incident occurred during our Culture Celebration Day that caused considerable upset to one of our pupils, her family, and members of the wider community. We deeply regret the distress this has caused and offer our sincere and unreserved apologies.
"We have since spoken directly with the pupil and her family to listen to their concerns and reflect on how this could have been handled better. We are committed to learning from this experience and ensuring that every student feels recognised and supported when expressing pride in their heritage.
"As a school, we are reviewing our policies and strengthening staff training to ensure our practices reflect our values of inclusion, respect, and understanding for all.'
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Trump arrives in Scotland for his first UK visit since re-election
Trump arrives in Scotland for his first UK visit since re-election

ITV News

time5 minutes ago

  • ITV News

Trump arrives in Scotland for his first UK visit since re-election

US President Donald Trump has arrived in Scotland at the start of a five day visit - his first to the UK since his re-election. His presence will result in a significant operation from Police Scotland and thousands of officers, who are expected to deal with mass protests around his golf courses and major Scottish cities. Trade unions, disability rights activists, climate justice campaigners, Palestinian and Ukrainian solidarity groups and American diaspora organisations are among those holding demonstrations in protest of the visit. Trump will visit both of the golf clubs he owns in the country – Turnberry in South Ayrshire and Menie, near Aberdeen, in the coming days. During his time in Scotland, he will also meet Scottish First Minister John Swinney, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Von der Leyen announced her trip on X, saying: 'Following a good call with @POTUS, we have agreed to meet in Scotland on Sunday to discuss transatlantic trade relations, and how we can keep them strong.' Trump indicated that he and Starmer could 'approve' the US-UK trade deal when they meet on Monday. Speaking to reporters before he began his travel on Friday, the president said: 'We're going to be talking about the trade deal that we made and maybe even approve it.' Before boarding the presidential plane Air Force One to fly to Scotland, he told journalists he has a 'lot of love' for Scotland.

KEIR STARMER: 'The humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza must end now'
KEIR STARMER: 'The humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza must end now'

Daily Mirror

timean hour ago

  • Daily Mirror

KEIR STARMER: 'The humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza must end now'

Keir Starmer says the starvation and desperation in Gaza is 'utterly horrifying' and the UK will 'pull every lever we have to get food and lifesaving support to the Palestinians' The appalling scenes in Gaza are unrelenting. ‌ I know the British people are sickened by what is happening. The images of starvation and desperation in Gaza are utterly horrifying. ‌ The denial of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people – to children and babies – is completely unjustifiable. So is the continued captivity of the hostages. And so is Israel's disproportionate military escalation in Gaza. ‌ Hundreds of civilians have been killed by Israeli forces while seeking aid. Children have been killed while collecting water. It is a humanitarian catastrophe. And it must end now. We have put millions of pounds of aid into Gaza. We have announced an extra £40 million of humanitarian support this year. But the help is not getting in. ‌ So we are scaling up our work. We are urgently accelerating efforts to evacuate children from Gaza who need critical medical assistance – bringing more Palestinian children to the UK for specialist medical treatment. News that Israel will allow countries to airdrop aid into Gaza has come far too late – but we will do everything we can to get aid in via this route. We are already working urgently with the Jordanian authorities to get British aid onto planes and into Gaza. We will pull every lever we have to get food and lifesaving support to the Palestinian people immediately. ‌ More broadly, alongside our closest allies, I am working on a pathway to peace in the region – focused on the practical solutions that will make a real difference to the lives of those that are suffering in this war. That pathway will set out concrete steps to turn the desperately needed ceasefire into a lasting peace. ‌ Recognition of a Palestinian state has to be one of those steps. I am unequivocal about that. But it must be part of a wider plan which ultimately results in a two-state solution and lasting security for Palestinians and Israelis. This is the way to ensure that recognition is a tool of maximum impact to improve the lives of those who are suffering – which must always be our ultimate goal. The fact we have rebuilt the UK's standing on the world stage enables us to rally international action behind real, purposeful, practical solutions. That's what we have done with the Coalition of the Willing to support Ukraine. That is what must happen in the Middle East – building a new international coalition behind a plan to end the suffering, now and for the long term.

Adams: It's a regret that end to armed campaign took decades to bring about
Adams: It's a regret that end to armed campaign took decades to bring about

Leader Live

time2 hours ago

  • Leader Live

Adams: It's a regret that end to armed campaign took decades to bring about

The former Sinn Fein president also voiced regret that it took so long to come, suggesting the UK Government was focused on 'defeating republicanism'. He also said he regretted the number of lives lost during the Troubles as he reflected on the upcoming 20th anniversary of the IRA statement. The IRA formally ended its 35-year paramilitary campaign on July 28 2005 when former republican prisoner Seanna Walsh read a statement. While a number of ceasefires had been announced and collapsed since 1994, the 2005 statement saw the start of the decommissioning of weapons. The statement said that members had been instructed to use exclusively peaceful means, and not to engage in any other activities whatsoever. Mr Adams described the move as seismic, and an 'indication of confidence' by 'all the IRA' and not just its leadership. 'The statement came after there had been some sort of internal process, a huge vote of confidence in people,' he said. 'It took decades for it to be put together. 'You have to go back to Father Alec Reid, Father Des Wilson, myself, John Hume and the endeavour to put together an alternative to armed struggle. 'It took all that time to do that, but that's what the IRA said in its statement, that they believed there was now a peaceful way to pursue republican and democratic objectives, and ordered its volunteers to not be engaged in any other activity whatsoever, and authorised contact with the International Commission on Decommissioning. 'It took decades and one of my regrets is that it took so long. In my humble opinion it took so long because the two governments, particularly the British government, only sought peace on its terms, which meant defeat the IRA, it meant defeat republicanism and that doesn't work, our people are resolute.' He added: 'The proof of it is that 20 years later the IRA isn't a feature. Some may want to make it a feature, invent, fabricate and so on, but that's the proof of it.' Asked whether he felt the IRA should issue an apology for all the lives lost by their actions, Mr Adam pointed to a statement in 2002 on the anniversary of Bloody Friday, a series of bombs across Belfast which claimed nine lives. It included an offer of 'sincere apologies and condolences' to the families of all 'non combatants' killed or injured by IRA actions. 'I think in fairness that the record will show that the IRA leadership have apologised on a number of occasions about specific incidents or operations which it was involved in, particularly around the issue of civilian casualties or fatalities,' he said. 'One of the big regrets that I have is that so many people were killed, and particularly people who weren't involved and particularly children, that's a real concern. 'I say that from a community and a family which lost loved ones in the course of all of this.' However, Mr Adams added that while he thinks it is important to look back over the last 20 years, it is also important to look forward to the next 20 years and a referendum on a united Ireland. 'One thing we can say with certainty is there is going to be a referendum on the future, the Irish Government doesn't want it, the British Government doesn't want it, unionists don't want it but there is going to be the day when people will vote for the future,' he said. 'Our responsibility, and for everyone who is concerned about the future, need to be part of the conversation well in advance of that vote. Whether it is about public services, health services, the economy, flags, emblems, taking all of those issues and trying to find solutions to them that allows everyone to be comfortable in the new Ireland. 'You rarely get the opportunity to write the future, and we now have that opportunity and its contained in the Good Friday Agreement.' 'I do know that there will be a united Ireland so whether it happens the day after I die or a couple of years before then. 'It is not inevitable, the forces against it are quite strong but if we work at it. 'If we continue to do the sensible, intelligent things that we have been trying to do, then – although I would love to live in a united Ireland – it matters little to me whether it happens after I die or before it. To be able to say in my own heart to say, 'I played a part in bringing that about', that'll do me.' Mr Adams was speaking ahead of an Feile An Phobail arts event this weekend to mark the anniversary. He will take part in a discussion alongside Mr Walsh, chaired by Sinn Fein Galway TD Mairead Farrell, at the Balmoral Hotel in Belfast on Saturday.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store