Educating Gordon Brown
Fraser Nelson 2:00pm
One of the least explored defects of this government is what Rabbi Lionel Blue calls “moral short-sightedness” – the ability to see problems on another continent, but not on one’s own doorstep. I was reminded of this when Brown announced £106 million of our money to open schools in Nigeria. It’s the latest example of what I’ve described as his neo-colonialism: his desire to rewire Africa along New Labour lines. Yet its not as if it’s “mission accomplished” with English education – some 40,000 kids leave primary school in Britain unable to read or write properly, setting them up for a lifetime of poverty.
Brown’s blind faith in state-monopoly education bars him from recognising the poverty being created under his nose, from the failings of this appalling UK system which serves the posh neighbourhoods so much better than the deprived ones. Brown is focusing on Africa because his ideologically-programmed brain tells him all must be well in his leftist utopia of Britain. After all, isn’t Labour in charge?
There is more you can do than get angry about this situation. Civitas run a superb network of schools which seek to catch the kids who fall down the many gaps in government education system. It is one of the most inspiring projects in the country today, and offers superb return for any charitable donation. It is appalling that with£75 billion spent on education, British kids are again relying on alms to be educated. But if no one else will look out for these kids then, as Robert Whelen says, civil society must strike back.
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Danielle
November 25th, 2007 6:08pm Report this commentExcellent article. Given the state of education in this country the last person the third world should be listening to on how to provide 'world class education' is Gordon Brown. The people New Labour have let down the most, in the last ten years, are the people that need education to get out of poverty/welfare dependency and they are the working class/under class black or white.
roy
November 25th, 2007 7:15pm Report this commentIsnt it odd how Brown spends so much time in schools? I firmly believe its because he thinks the media won't want to ask aggressive questions in front of the kids.....
Mike Stallard
November 25th, 2007 8:40pm Report this commentOK
I live in a small market town. We have one dysfunctional Comprehensive.
I tried to start up a small independent school with affordable fees of £5,000 a year. Civitas and Cognita were both very helpful. The local paper put the idea on the front page. I hired a Hall to see what interest there was.
Seven people (some married to each other) turned up.
So, I ask, what is the Conservative government going to do? Will it pay some of the fees? Will it really support this idea?
Otherwise, it is more of a "wasted generation" for Wisbech children.
Tiberius
November 25th, 2007 9:24pm Report this commentIt would be interesting to know how many people who complain about their local schools also vote Labour (unless you're Diane Abbott who you would expect to vote for herself).
Tory Lady
November 25th, 2007 10:56pm Report this commentBrowns political shortsightedness was in his inability to see that he would upset News Editors with his General Election exclusive which he gave to Marr. Editors are gunning for him now!
ExPat
November 26th, 2007 1:04am Report this commentNigeria is described on some news sites as "oil rich". So why are we paying for their education system?
Fraser Nelson
November 26th, 2007 8:52am Report this commentMike Stallard, yes the Conservatives would cover the fees. Actually, they'd pay £5,500 which is the state average this year. If they haven't got this point across to you, and people like you, more fool them: they are missing an opportunity to get potential supporters on board. But the policy is new, hence not v much understood. It is based on a simple credo: people like you, not anyone in Whitehall, are the only hope for education in this country.
Lee Jakeman
November 26th, 2007 9:17am Report this commentMaybe that's what's meant by "charity begins at home"?
John Backhouse
November 26th, 2007 11:28am Report this commentDon't forget Brown's undeclared mantra: The worse it gets, the better it is for us. Chaos & ignorance give el Gordo the excuse and opportunity to introduce ever more totalitarian government and it is this which has been Labour's raison d'etre throughout its existence.
Fraser Nelson
November 26th, 2007 4:04pm Report this commentOnly if he's seen as being good in a crisis, John. Which he increasingly isnt., I agree that's been Brown's strategy so far - to make out like there's an economic war on, and that he's an economic warrior. But the (brilliant) Laurel & Hardie cartoon on p26 of the Telegraph today sums up how it seems to many voters.
Marcus Cotswell
November 27th, 2007 8:39am Report this commentEr, I really hate to be pedantic (actually, I don't hate it at all) but wouldn't an ability to see things far away but not close up be 'long-sightedness'? I am (literally as well as probably morally) short-sighted, and I can see these words appearing on my screen without any assistance at all - but I can barely pick out the hands on the clock on the wall 20 feet away without my specs.
Fraser Nelson
November 27th, 2007 11:58pm Report this commentMarcus, you're exactly right. My mistake. Mea culpa. I should go work for Brown.
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