THE TORIES know they ership: are exposed and on the run;
fused and divided. the public, led by precisely the normally conservative layers of "Middle England' which Tony Blair appears obsessed with courting, is demanding radical action; but Education remains yc another missed opportunity thinking stops at 16." for New Labour and its blundering spokesperson David Blunkett.
Anger at this failure, and at Tory policies. the fiasco over school optgle-handedly revised party policy after deciding to send his son to an opted out school. could make education another policies. of the flashpoints of this ycars conterence Biairs noe wour probaoly be even harder if the teaching unions were affiliated to the Aboer Pary and able so al gue their views directly at The campaigns to defend stead it has been left up to parents, governors and teaching unions to lead the fight on what should be a vote-winner Why is this? Gilliar Shephard's leaked memoranwhen she summed up the total contusion cresica in Labour s ranks by lony biair s cow ardly and conservative lead"Labour is hopelessly con'Foundation schools' are all to get 90 percent funding. This is aboSO out the Bck Goo while paying lip service to them because of the position of Blair and others. They have no real policy on Higher or Further Education: their Shephard cynically distinguishes berween 'New Labour' which seeks to maintain which does not support Tory policies but is confused. and Labour in power in Town Halls', which she claims is proposals for encouraging more schools to join the tiny sill promoung seis wing handful that have so far taken Of course Shephard's the proffered bribes to opt out words were written before her and seck Grant Maintained But it is clear that Labour has blundered in Blair-style. policy is a total shambles. blurting out a series of new As long as "New Labour' "On education, Labour maintains a lead over us of about 30 percent compared with 20 percent a year ago. There is a perception that schools are under-funded and peace in the classroom is threatened. ...
"There are areas where we are politically exposed: the need to improve standards must not be overshadowed by arguments about the mechanics through which education is delivered.
"Insufficient resources now threaten the provision of education in the state Demonstrations against education cuts are starting again: but where is Labour? continues to dodge any kind of commitment to spend more money on education and reverse the Tory cuts, and holds back from the necessary offensive against the Tories' two-tier system, the party will be fighting at a disadvantage.
A classic example was the Oxfordshire conference of head teachers and governors from secondary schools throughout the county. 00posing cuts: all three political parties were invisco so seno a speaker - but only the Liberal Democrat tumed up.
A backlash from delegates at this year's Labour conference is needed to pre-empt an even more vigorous backlash On present form seem likely to face a new round of cuts administered by Labourled councils. helped locally by Liberal Democrats, whose party naticeally has been the only one willing to commit itself to raise taxes to spend more on schools.