Uttlesford Lib Dems Attack Education White Paper

11.05.00am GMT Thu 29th Dec 2005

The Prime Minister's Education White Paper came under attack this week when Cllr David Morson proposed a motion at Full Council. The motion criticised the white paper's extreme free market philosophy which is likely to cause severe damage to local community schools. Instead ,Cllr Morson urged support for Local Education Authorities, whose role will be severely diminished by the new Bill, so that new measures will be monitored and balanced.

Cllr Morson reminded Members that the Prime Minister had been offered support by David Cameron, the new Conservative Leader. Mr Cameron challenged the Prime Minister "to be bold" with Conservative support against his own Labour backbenchers.

Cllr Morson said "The new Admissions Policy claiming to give more parental choice will, in fact, give choice to the schools not the parents, with successful schools handpicking those children who will ensure further academic success. Thus, he continued, some schools will reinforce an upward spiral, whilst others will inevitably be reduced to a down spiral. This will be overburden successful schools who will then be forced to turn hopeful applicants away, while others will be forced to close. This will be a market orientated scenario that even Mrs Thatcher in her wildest dreams could not have hoped for."

Cllr Morson concluded: "Without the moderating influence of Local Education Authorities, short termism and subjective assessments of local schools could cause a massive imbalance in local communities. Those parents and children with least opportunities will be disadvantaged even more, as elitism, rather than community provision for all, will result."