The expansion of free childcare is jeopardised by unbelievable promises

Editorial: The overall scheme, worthy though it is, is not adequately funded

Mr Hunt has more than once admitted that his sums did not add up (PA Wire)

When Jeremy Hunt, the chancellor, announced 30 hours a week of free childcare for all working parents in the Budget a year ago, the scheme seemed too good to be true. The Independent warned that it was a lot less ambitious than it sounded, in that the expansion of free hours would start modestly next month.

The expansion to the largest number of children would be saved up for September this year, just before the likely date of the general election. And the completion of the “30 hours a week for all” would be a cheque postdated to September 2025.

As the first phase of the expansion approached, however – and it is now only three weeks away – it became increasingly clear that all was not well in the delivery of even his first, modest phase. What is supposed to happen in April is that, in addition to the existing 30 hours of free care for children aged three and four, children aged two will receive 15 hours of free care.