Culture

‘Rishi Sunak wants a drone army of data entering robots’: Simon Pegg’s furious attack on PM’s maths plan

Simon Pegg has hit out at Rishi Sunak's plan to make all young people in England learn maths up to the age of 18 in an expletive-laden video

Rishi Sunak and Simon Pegg

Simon Pegg attacked Rishi Sunak over his plans for education. Pictures: Simon Pegg: Flickr/vagueonthehow, Rishi Sunak: Flickr/Number 10

Simon Pegg has launched a furious video attack on Rishi Sunak’s plan to make young people study maths up to the age of 18.

The actor, who shot to massive fame in Star Trek and Mission Impossible after early cult recognition for classic TV comedy Spaced, took to Instagram to vent his expletive-laden feelings on the prime minister’s education strategy, announced yesterday.

“So, Rishi Sunak our unmandated, unelected prime minister, twice removed, has decided that it should be compulsory for children to learn maths up until the age of 18. What a prick,” he said.

“What about arts and humanities in fostering this country’s amazing reputation for creativity and self-expression? What about that?”

Looking back on his own school days and his struggles with mathematics, Simon Pegg echoed many people’s fears about what will happen to those students who are less suited to the subject.

“What about the kids who don’t want to do maths?” he continued. “I hated maths. I dropped maths as soon as I could. And I’ve never needed it other than the skill set I acquired at the age of 12.

“But no, Rishi Sunak wants the fucking drone army of data entering robots. What a tosser. Fuck the Tories. Get rid of them. Please. Fuck! Fuck you Rishi Sunak and fuck the Tories.”

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Pegg’s stance has met with wide approval on social media.

“Take a bow, Simon Pegg,” wrote Welsh indie musician Andrew Edwards on Twitter. “Simon Pegg for PM,” added BAFTA-winning writer & performer Jolyon Rubinstein.

Sunak announced he was looking at plans to ensure all school pupils in England study maths in some form until the age of 18 in his first speech of 2023, saying he wanted people to “feel confident” when it came to finances.

However, the plan would not be rolled out until after the next general election, which the Conservatives are predicted to lose to Labour, according to current polling.

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