There's been a cock-up and Balls should take responsibility
James Forsyth 10:53am
One of the more disgraceful aspects of the Sats scandal is Ed Balls’s attempt to deny all responsibility for the fiasco. Michael Gove rightly roasts Balls for this in The Guardian this morning:
To start with, Balls could apologise to those whose results have been delayed. Then, he could announce that he’s going to ensure that Ets are not rewarded for their failures.“Balls is keen on accountability when it suits him. He has used the power of his office to harry successful faith schools and to name and shame those schools the prime minister calls "failing". We have been concerned that some of the faith schools were unfairly smeared and the blanket condemnation of 638 schools didn't help those on the path to improvement. But if he wants to operate in that sort of fashion, he must expect that he will be held similarly accountable. No excuses allowed, guilty till proven innocent: this appears to be the Balls code - but one he won't apply to his own handling of this exams fiasco.When Morris was faced with a similar crisis of confidence in the handling of exams, over A-levels in 2002, she appointed a distinguished schools inspector, Mike Tomlinson, to investigate. His interim report was delivered after a week. Balls has appointed another former inspector, Lord Sutherland, to investigate this year's fiasco, but he won't report for months. It took more than a week to even establish the terms of reference for the inquiry, and those do not include looking at the role of ministers. This isn't accountability, it's hypocrisy.”
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Comments
Thomas Cussans
July 22nd, 2008 11:01amBalls doesn't 'do' responsibility unless it's someone else's fault. Nor does he 'do' resignation.
It is utterly scandalous of course. But it is also utterly typical of this deeply nasty man.
Charles
July 22nd, 2008 11:08amPlease can the moderator confirm if commenters will be awarded extra marks for appropriate use of expletives?
Lord Elvis of Paisley
July 22nd, 2008 12:47pmI'm not here. Apparently ETS have marked me down as absent.
Liz Brown
July 22nd, 2008 12:50pmHe doesn't "do" expenses either according to his and the ghastly Yvette's house in London being named as their second home - this in spite of the fact that their offspring go to school in London
Andrew Forbes
July 22nd, 2008 1:19pmScrewed up the running of his department completely? "So what"?
Marian C
July 22nd, 2008 3:40pmIts an absolute disgrace; ETS should be sacked immediately and so should that slimy toad Balls.
David S
July 23rd, 2008 2:49pmBalls is trying to wriggle out on a technicality - "accountable but not responsible".
True of him, true of Brown, true of the whole lot of them.
Andrew Forbes
July 23rd, 2008 4:46pmOr is it responsibility without accountability?
He's at it again today:http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/ed-balls-sats-its-gas-prices-that-could-wreck-browns-autumn-warns-his-great-ally-874867.html
He conveniently views himself responsible only for policy, and not the rather tricky area of implementation.
This is an attempt to excuse himself from ministerial responsibility, culpability. He wishes to set the precedent where there is nothing for which a minister can be made to resign. This must not be allowed to happen.