Labour 'given up on schools'.

7.53.12pm GMT Sun 20th Nov 2005

Education, Education, Education? Only for the few with Labour.

The Government has "given up on the the idea that every school should be a good school". So said Labour Suffolk County Councillor Tony Lewis on Radios 4's Today programme on the 18th November 2005. His colleague Cllr. Sue Thomas said that improvements to some schools under the Governments proposed reforms may 'be at the expense of schools in the more disadvantaged areas".

He is not the only Labour politician to criticise government policy on education. Estelle Morris M.P. - the former Secretary of State for Education - also criticised the Government's plans this week.

Your local Liberal Democrats agree broadly with these criticisms and believe that schools in this area will particularly be affected. Cllr. Andrew Cann said today "The Government seems hell bent on re-introducing the Grammar School system. The Grammar school system was fine for the small proportion of students attending the Grammar schools, but the majority were left to the secondary modern to undertake education that taught them on a second class basis.

"It is unbelievable in this day and age that the Government can think it will get away with hoodwinking it's own MPs and the British public into allowing this to occur.

"The Government that signalled under Blair that Education, Education, Education would be at the forefront of their reforming campaign should get back to the job and get on with improving ALL schools for ALL people. What people want is a very good local school - not the chance, if selected, to send their child miles across town to a school that receives better funding than their local school. Labour's new education policy is frankly regressive in its outlook. Nobody could pretend that the comprehensive system is ideal but the Government, if it is truly committed to extending opportunity to all, needs to stick with it and ensure that simple reforms, such as allowing expulsions, setting, reducing class sizes and investment gets through."

If you would like to hear the Radio 4 interview - you can find it at the link below for a limited period. The item was broadcast at 07:15 on Friday 18th November 2005.

www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/listenagain