Rugby star Maro Itoje backs Starmer’s promise to boost school sports

Sports stars including rugby player Maro Itoje and coach Sir Clive Woodward have backed plans that would see schoolchildren do more PE under Labour.

Sir Keir Starmer has promised more team games in state schools if he becomes prime minister. The Labour leader said children were being “locked out of emulating their heroes” due to falling PE provision.

He said: “I fell in love with football from an early age ... like countless others, it boosted my confidence and shaped my identity. But many young people now don’t have that same opportunity. That’s why my Labour Party will ensure that every child has the chance to be active at school and reform the curriculum to strengthen PE, sports and arts access.”

Labour has pledged to provide equal access to sport for girls and boys, and reform the curriculum to ensure children at state schools do not miss out. Labour said there was a significant gap in participation between state and private school pupils, while girls were three times less likely to take part in sport than boys. The number of hours of PE taught in secondary schools fell to just under 286,000 last year, which is about 40,000 less than in 2011/12.

Itoje and Sir Clive have backed the policies, along with Steve Harmison, the former England fast bowler, and athlete Sir Brendan Foster. They said: “Fostering a passion for sports among the next generation is not only crucial for the nation’s physical and mental wellbeing, but it also plays a pivotal role in cultivating future world-class sporting talent.

“We enthusiastically embrace Labour’s commitment to promoting equal access to sports... and their dedication to ensuring that every child can engage in physical activity during school hours.”