New Tory Policies: A Review
David Cameron, leader of the Conservative Party, is having a difficult time of it at the moment. Gordon Brown bounced back with a rousing speech at the Manchester Conference, the party’s lead has dropped in the polls from 28 points to 10, and in his three years as head of the Tories in the UK, the true blue Eton-bred PR man has resolutely failed to wow voters with any strong policies of his own.Schools
Now Osbourne is taking the Academies plan implemented by Labour, giving it a new name and calling it his own plan, according to a report by the Times.
He plans to “revolutionise” the education system in England by replacing failing comprehensives and primaries with new “free” schools run by parents, charities and private firms.
These schools which, remember, are not like Academies in any way, will be allowed to set their own curriculum and will be funded by private finance, like Manchester Academy in Moss Side which was set up by Christian foundation ULT, and the new Oasis Media Academy in Salford sponsored by Baptist minister Steve Chalke MBE. Organisations would receive a higher fee per pupil in deprived areas to encourage them to open schools there. The schools would not be allowed to make a profit.
The plans would be presented as an expansion of state schools and are modelled on a Swedish scheme where 900 independent schools have been established over 15 years.
During an interview with The Sunday Times Michael Gove, shadow education secretary, said: “It is our intention from day one to make the changes necessary to get new providers into the state school system. We want as much choice for parents as possible.”
He pointed out that there are six times as many pupils in England as there are in Sweden, implying that, in the long term, up to 5,400 new schools could spring up in England if the model were equally successful here. In Sweden the new schools had “helped to raise standards for all”. He added: “The experience from Sweden is that people who used to be educated privately are now educated in state schools. I would expect the same thing would happen here and would welcome it.”
Freeze on Council Tax
Shadow chancellor George Osborne is not in a position to offer a stop in to council tax rises for the average family, politics blog ePoltix.com warns.
This is because the Tories, if they win, will have to operate in much more difficult financial conditions than Labour did when they took power in 1997; the result is that the money is just not there for planned cuts, the cupboard is bare, so to speak.
Labour researcher Adam Leeder rejects the “ill-conceived and ill-thought-out” idea, saying a freeze on council tax would mean cutting public sector wages
He continues: “Osborne outlined a scheme whereby any council keeping council tax increases to 2.5 per cent or less would receive extra money from Whitehall to further reduce bills. This is supposed to be paid for through efficiency savings or 'cutting the fat'.
“The problem is however that the majority of council spending goes on wages. Given that inflation is significantly above 2.5 per cent in these difficult economic times, Osborne's plans would mean mass public sector pay cuts.
Also, as the UK population is ageing – for the first time there are more people of state pensionable age than there are under 16 – Osborne's blueprint would mean crippling cuts in services at a time when demographics mean we can least afford it.
To pull this 'freeze' off without significant cuts in wages and services is not possible without a magic wand.”
Picture credit: The Press Association
Comment by ish 10th October 2008
What would be better for this Country - Labour (or New Labour) winning the next election and stewing in their own juice or the Conservatives winning and having to sort out the mess created by this Labour Government? |
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