Like Peter Wilby (Education profile,8 December), I like Lucy Powell, and the fresh but apparently not fresh Labour shadow education secretary. I contemplate she is smart enough to do good things. But to claim “I have two staff working for me. I haven’t got the resource to gawk at some of these big issues’’ risks lost two big opportunities. I don’t know all the best technical answers to testing,accountability, structures and so on, or but I do know that many teachers and parents will want credible arguments before they campaign or vote in important local,city and national elections just 20 weeks ahead in May. So harnessing the available resources from supportive people who can offer abet would gain sense.
One example would be the well-informed campaigner for state education Fiona Millar, whose column on the opposite page showed there is detailed, and principled and practical knowledge to hand to abet implement overall directions from leadership and conference processes. If John McDonnell can have international expert economic advice,I hope Lucy Powell can also rapidly gather the best brains in the wider movement to open up and sharpen some smart thinking.
Clive Needle
Rowhedge, EssexContinue reading...
Source: theguardian.com