‘We should have been bolder’

27 January 2007

He certainly sees no conflict between his agenda and Conservative principles — and again emphasises the common ground. ‘Everybody talks about Tony Blair saying “Education, education, education’’,’ he says. ‘But I thought John Major’s response was equally significant. He said: “I have the same three priorities, but not necessarily in the same order.” And today, that is basically what Blair and Cameron are saying to each other. What a fantastic thing for the country.’

We tour the school afterwards. Lord Adonis must have seen it scores of times before, but he is still drooling. He points out innovations: noticeboards publish children’s exam results fortnightly, inspiring low performers to do better. Healthy chicken wraps are prepared for lunch. The headmaster explains the boom in demand for other Harris City Academies opening in London: the brand name works. ‘We hear from pupils grateful they could get a place, and saying how they were envied by their other friends from primary school.’

The tragedy is that Harris City Academy is so utterly unrepresentative of the nation’s 3,500 state schools. And, after nine years on the inside of government, Lord Adonis knows that Labour has not transformed a system but planted a seed. And he pleads for whoever comes next — Mr Brown or Mr Cameron — to let it grow.