UKC

I see Tristram Hunt is considering sending his children to private school. So state education not good enough for his children then?

In reply to icnoble:

If it's good enough for Polly Toynbee and Diane Abbott it'll be good enough for Tristam.....

In reply to icnoble:

Is that rhyming slang?

In reply to icnoble:

I suppose he gets to see close up what Gove is doing to state education.

In reply to icnoble:

This isn't a party thing. Its normal. People who are wealthier can chose to send their offsprings somewhere other than state school. This doesn't imply there is anything wrong with state school of course.

Bit like you can chose private health care over the NHS if you chose to pay.

In reply to icnoble:

His 5 yo old son goes to a state primary. The rest is PR chatter and headline.

In reply to The New NickB:

Like Polly Toynbee and Diane Abbott did. Oh, hold on...

In reply to teflonpete:

Where they Shadow Education Secretary?

In reply to The New NickB:

No, neither of them are. However, Abbott, as founder of the LSBC, and Toynbee as a Labour advisor, outspoken in the media on the value of state education, both saw fit to educate their children privately despite being influential members of the party of Education, Education, Education!

I'm no fan of Gove, in no uncertain terms, but I'm no fan of the hypocrisy within the well heeled echelons of the Labour party either. Maybe the state education system would be better if politicians of whichever party is in government actually sent their kids to the same schools as the rest of the electorate can afford to.

In reply to teflonpete:

I'm no fan of either, so I'm not going to defend them. I have not followed Hunt too closely, but this appears to be a bit of a none story.

In reply to The New NickB: I refuse to believe somebody called Tristram can be a member of the labour party...

In reply to The New NickB:

It is a bit of non story, from the article I read he only said he "wouldn't rule out" sending his kids to a private school.

In reply to teflonpete:

>Maybe the state education system would be better if politicians of whichever party is in government actually sent their kids to the same schools as the rest of the electorate can afford to.

Maybe the political system would be better if our politicians weren't expected by some to use their children to make cheap political points?

jcm

In reply to teflonpete:



There seem to be a hell of a lot of private schools considering its only MPs that can afford to use them, don't you think ?

Actually, people from all walks of life chose private schools for their children and some have to make huge personal sacrifices in order to do so.

In reply to johncoxmysteriously:

Is being in a position where your actions as a minister having the same effect on you and your family as the majority of the electorate really too big an ask?

If education ministers (of whichever persuasion) can see the value in a selective education system for their own offspring, albeit by private funding, why don't the electorate have access to state funded selective entry grammar schools nationwide?

In reply to GrahamD:


Where have I said that?


Yes, and your point is? Does a solicitor or a surgeon, or a plumber who sends their kids to private school have a major role to play in shaping education authority policy? No. Ministers do. If you're happy for the situation to be that the quality of state education doesn't really matter on a personal level for those that shape it, then fine, that's your opinion. Personally, I'd rather they have a little more at stake.

In reply to teflonpete:

>Personally, I'd rather they have a little more at stake

Or, in other words, you expect them to use their children to make cheap political points.

jcm

In reply to johncoxmysteriously:

Yes John, I do.

Happy now?

In reply to johncoxmysteriously:

It's hardly a cheap political point is it?

Contrast Hunt's views with those of Tony Blair or Lord Adonis, it sees him representing a shift to the far right, no Miliband supporter is going to be keen on this.

Hunt said he had little interest what kind of schools parents chose for their children

It's a bad case of Duke of York disease.

In reply to johncoxmysteriously:
>

Putting your kid through a school system for 11 years is rather different to getting them to eat a burger on the evening news. Skin in the game, innit?

In reply to winhill:

How so?