Alan Johnson’s attempt at class warfare blows up in his face
In a thoroughly amusing development, it has been discovered that Johnson’s work as a conscientious MP has rather clashed with his deputy / leadership ambitions. He was slated to make a speech putting the boot in to the charitable status of fee paying schools, but now he has been rumbled for helping a constituent who was trying to get her son into a fee paying school. Ho ho – that won’t go down well with the unreconstructed class warriors in the PLP who fancy him in the pilot’s or co-pilot’s seat.
I’m a humble grammar school boy, but strongly in favour of a voucher system for schools. All of the people I know who went to private schools came from very ordinary backgrounds, but had parents who made immense financial sacrifices because they wanted what they judged to be the best for their sons and daughters.
Meanwhile, apologies to anyone who has been trying to post - it looks like there has been a Blogger-wide outage.
Labels: Class war, The horror that is the Labour Party
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on Monday, July 24, 2006 at 6:21 pm.
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The following link is as good a justification as any for education vouchers.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/5157598.stm
I always think that the case for education vouchers is almost prima facie, but I don't know of many practical examples.
There is that, yes. For me the pivotal argument is the injustice in making anyone pay twice over for the same service.
I dont think he's being hpercritical in doing what his constituent asked for help with.
AJ is elected as an MP to assist and represent his constituents. He can hardly turn round and say as a socialist he feels unable to support an application to a fee paying school, that isn't his job.
AJH - roughly my point. He was doing the right thing as a constituency MP by helping a constituent but was timetabled to be sticking the boot into private schools later on.
I like AJ, maybe he over-played his hand for the DPM role which is how small local difficulties are getting unfortunate news coverage like this.
I really dont think he's going for the leadership though, why run against GB and get thrashed? That's John McDonnell's role.
There are plenty worse people, certainly. He passes my 'could you imagine having a pint and a chat with this politician?' test.
I'd have a pint with him certainly.
He did incredibly well securing the education bill as a relative unknown just after Clarke's suddden departure from education.
He at least has a hinterland to use the curious phrase. Makes you wonder how the hell he got there in the first place. I hope he doesnt become the new Prescott, a working class sop for GB.
I think the pint test rates a post...
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