Michael Gove once supported removing tax advantages enjoyed by private schools as one of the best ways of ending society's "burning injustices".
The Levelling Up Secretary said to his "continuing surprise we still consider the education of the children of plutocrats and oligarchs to be a charitable activity".
In a 2017 column for The Times, the senior Tory asked readers why the "egregious" support should continue, saying: "How can this be justified?"
In 2021 the Labour leader Keir Starmer vowed to continue supporting the policy of ending private schools' charitable status - raising £1.7billion a year.
In recent days the policy - supported by a majority of the public - has been highlighted by the right-wing press as an example of the party's "class war".
A Government spokesperson also told the Daily Mail: "Independent schools have an important role to play in levelling up opportunities"
But Mr Gove, now in charge of the Levelling Up agenda, said private schools provide opportunities "state school students could scarcely envisage".
Referring to the then-Prime Minister Theresa May, Mr Gove added: "The Prime Minister, quite rightly, wants to end burning injustices in our society.
"We could scarcely find a better way of doing that than ending tax advantages for the global super-rich and instead extending them to the vulnerable and voiceless."
He argued the money raised from ending private schools' tax advantages could be "redeployed to help the most vulnerable children of all - those taken into care".
Mr Gove added: "Are the children of the rich intrinsically more talented and worthy, more gifted and more deserving of celebration than the rest?
"Of course not. But our state-subsidised private schools continue to give them every possible advantage."
As the column resurfaced, Labour's Shadow Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: "For once, I agree with Michael Gove. It's just a shame the Prime Minister doesn't," she added.
The Prime Minister's official spokesperson said: "Independent schools have an important role to play in providing further opportunities for children across the country through targeted bursaries and by working with local state schools to share expertise, best practice and facilities.
"It's because of the important educational service they provide that they are exempt from VAT".
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