City Academies and Super Casinos, RIP
Fraser Nelson 2:33pmPutting City Academies under the care of local authorities is like putting chickens in the care of wolves - as Mr Brown knows very well. So it’s goodbye to Mr Blair’s market reforms, although the Prime Minister has subcontracted the wielding of the knife. Witness his twin strategy: he keeps Lord Adonis, joint architect of the scheme, in place. But he robs him of the control he needs. Remember, Adonis was literally in the High Court fighting local authorities who resent any threat to their power base. How much progress will City Academies make now that local authorities have control? But on a day when Brown has effectively abolished Blair’s wretched super casinos in a throwaway line in parliament, who’s going to care?
The Tories may lose the headline battle today, but this all adds up to a gift for David Cameron. If he plays his cards right, he can say there’s only one way to get school reform in England now: vote Conservative.
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James T Kirk
July 11th, 2007 4:02pmIndeed, Cameron's first Commons contribution as leader was on education. Improving secondary schools, which in essence means overturning Left orthodoxy, requires a fight with teachers' unions and local authorities. Brown cannot afford a fight with those he needs as backers, both financial and otherwise, and the placatory moves by Alan Johnson in the NHS have already been noted. Personally, I think the most urgent battle with the public sector for Cameron, if he gets the opportunity of course, should be over pension rights. Yet it is plainly wrong to sacrifice another generation of pupils in any cause. How many fronts could Cameron open at any one time? It is against this backdrop that increasing grammar school numbers, in the face of wild-eyed opposition, would have become a policy akin to watching a holed ship sink on the horizon.
James T Kirk
July 11th, 2007 4:09pmOn casinos, I wonder how many people in Manchester, who were in support of the super-casino, are now going to feel the Labour Party is welching on the deal? With the Tories having virtually no representation in central Manchester, do they now have a real issue with which to present Labour as skittish and untrustworthy? And how must Tessa Jowell feel after expending so much time, energy and breath on this issue?
Deborah Khan
July 11th, 2007 4:41pmCheck out City of London Academy in Bermondsey- flourishing very well thank you very much for four years under the control of LB of Southwark.
The Laughing Cavalier
July 12th, 2007 8:14amWhat has ruined education is the 60 years of municipal socialism that it has suffered. Until it is wrested away from local government bureaucrats little can change for the better.