M&S advert ‘puts two fingers up to spirit of Christmas’, says headteacher

Katharine Birbalsingh tells retailer its Christmas ad featuring celebrities’ seasonal peeves will stifle children’s happiness

A prominent headteacher has said she feels “deep disappointment and outrage” over Marks & Spencer’s Christmas advert showing celebrities destroying their least favourite parts of the festive season.

Katharine Birbalsingh, an education reform campaigner who has been labelled Britain’s strictest headteacher, called for the advert to be taken down as she claims it “puts two fingers up” to traditional Christmas values.