Education Secretary dismisses Gemma Collins criticism as snobbery over DfE video

The Education Secretary has robustly defended the Department for Education's decision to work with television personality Gemma Collins, dismissing criticism of the partnership as class-based "snobbery". Bridget Phillipson argued that Collins' significant public platform and "incredible reach" with young people justifies the department's strategy, despite scepticism from some quarters about whether such collaborations are appropriate for government messaging. The intervention highlights ongoing tensions regarding how central government and local authorities should engage with hard-to-reach demographics, particularly young people who may not respond to traditional policy communications. For Lead Members and education leaders, the episode raises practical questions about the balance between accessibility and institutional gravitas in public sector messaging, and whether celebrity partnerships genuinely deliver value for engaging children and families in education initiatives and departmental campaigns.