This article appears as part of the Unspun: Scottish Politics newsletter.

So there we have it: VAT will be applied to private school fees.

Keir Starmer pledged to do it and, incredibly, then actually went ahead and did it.

I know, I was amazed as well.

All the available evidence suggested that the promise would be ditched once he had won an election but no – it survived the cull and then made it all the way to the big speech where the old guy in the silly gold hat reads out the plans for the year.

So what is changing?

Basically, up until now, people throwing around tens of thousands of pounds a year to keep their precious children from having to mix with the poor kids were also entitled to a nice wee tax break for doing so. As of the 2025/26 school year, that will no longer be the case.

The reaction from some quarters – whether to the initial announcement or the actual confirmation of the change – has been absolutely hilarious. Seriously, you could dedicate yourself to full-time attendance at comedy festivals and England football matches and not experience anything like the sort of laughter you’ll get from searching........

© Herald Scotland