The rise of the state comprehensive

1970's Britain. The state education system was not exactly benefiting from a good reputation and as John Crace rightly points out in his recent 'G2' article, many schools featured rapidly decaying Victorian buildings and other more 'modern' structures were coated in asbestos. These schools continued to endure hard lives as the UK embraced the 80's and another 18 years of Conservative rule. Of course, these Tory rulers were subjected to  slightly more privileged surroundings while they were educated.

Eton, Westminster, Winchester and Harrow. Just a few of the schools that have educated Prime Ministers, London Mayors and Royals. But I think that their prestigious reputations of creating the egos to fill the top positions is coming to an end. John Crace compares two schools; Eton, former school of David Cameron, Boris Johnson and Princes William and Harry, with North London comprehensive Haverstock, alma mater to the Miliband brothers, 2012 London mayoral candidate Oona King and Liverpool football player, Joe Cole. And the article makes the obvious point that although Eton has produced some illustrious names; Haverstock could soon boast both the Labour leader and the Mayor of London.

Now, in May, I left the comprehensive school that has taught me for the past five years and taken me through my GCSE programme; Noadswood. It like most other state schools in the UK benefited hugely from the 13 years of Labour who rightly invested huge amounts in education. Noadswood has not quite seen a complete rebuild but has definitely seen huge refurbishment and development; as has Haverstock; which now boasts contemporary buildings with modern classrooms and wide corridors. An age of austerity for the less privileged but not for the more privileged, which will inevitably occur while Tories are in government, will only bring down the continuing success of many state schools whose GCSE results are ever improving as a direct result of this extra investment.

Of course, cuts need to be made, we all acknowledge this, but halting the Building Schools for the Future Programme, then ring fencing the International Development budget is not the way. The need for cuts, I believe, is met equally by some schools with the need for redevelopment. There are schools in this country falling to pieces, literally. Just 3 months in to a coalition, a great mistake has already been made. This doesn't bode well for the next five years of this parliament. If sustained spending can be kept at schools then perhaps the cases of Noadswood and Haverstock can be the cases seen across the UK, I can't see it happening though, not while the coalition is in place. Before the election, the Labour needed the country, now, the country needs Labour.

A stark Miliband bias.

Up until last night both my 1st and 2nd preferences for Labour leader were taken up by the Miliband brothers. However, last night I watched a replay of the BBC Radio 5 Live debate with Victoria Derbyshire. Now, as every debate has done so far, it completely reaffirmed my support for my 1st preference, Ed Miliband. But it also knocked the David quarter of that family off of his 'Ashley Giles 2nd place perch'. He reminded me of Blair, not that that is an entirely bad thing, but it is not going to give Labour the different direction we need. On the front of David's leaflet his team sent out recently, it tells us on the front cover that he believes ''we need to change the way we do politics'' - very true of course, but his performance suggests that he is more of the same, juts not listening really. Going off on a tangent on questions, so different to Ed though, he quickly referred back to audience members and it seemed like he was really engaging, that is what we need, that is how we should 'do politics'. I also found him quite annoying at times as well and dare I say it, felt like he was talking and remarking like he was somehow better than the rest. That is of course a huge public turn off.  I don't doubt his ability however, he was an excellent Foreign Secretary, actually, an outstanding one. And I think he will be again, but under his brother's leadership.

So, on the back of that 'performance' and the other debates, I currently have a top two made up of Ed Miliband and Andy Burnham. First and Second respectively. People talked of the Miliband's being too alike to fight against each other, but I have found that couldn't be more untrue. In personal terms, I find Ed to have his priorities right more so than David, the fact this isn't about one person be elected by many, but many electing one person.It's just about the one leader and what they will do. But it's about how they are going to engage the membership and increase it so the movement is big enough for the new leader to be able to do the things they are suggesting.  The factor of the people and the use of the word 'you' is much more prominent across Ed Miliband's campaign who I believe will recreate the people's party.

Support Ed's campaign, click here.

Lost election, new leader!

I'm in the middle of my GCSE exams at the minute so there is likely to be a few more breaks in my posting. Sorry. To keep the whole thing fresh, I have also given the place a makeover! Hope you like!

Onto the politics, I haven't actually posted since before the Election, so after reading my last post you'll realise how very wrong I was. In fact, I couldn't of be any more incorrect. And although, for obvious reasons, I don't want to dwell on the election, it was very interesting watching how the country didn't take to Nick Clegg as much as the poll said they would and how good, old Gordon finally conceded defeat.

Anyway, moving very swiftly on, to the new leader of the Labour Party! Miliband, Miliband, Burnham, Balls or Abbott? Well, i'm going for Miliband, Ed that is. I don't want to tempt fate but I do believe he is the best option and I do believe he will become our leader. Although I wouldnt begrudge any of the other candidates the leadership, except maybe Ed Balls, but David M is fantastic on foreign affairs and the other three, I believe just don't have the spark needed to salvage Labour, which apparently, is no longer New and the New Statesman-organised leadership debate outlined that, although, Diane Abbott spoke very well on the main talking point of the event, immigration, Balls & Burnham preached the usual "power to the people" talk and David, I'm afraid to say, seem to do a lot of sucking up to various factions who are supporting him, such as young people. Put simply - EM4Labour. Support him now.

And that really has been the hot political topic since the election...oh, except the, ahem, cuts. The cuts devised by George Osborne and David La- Danny Alexander. As unclear as they were, what stood out was a repulsive decision to scrap the Child Trust Fund; an initiative introduced by the former Labour government to support children, financially, once they turn 18. Just another sign of the Conservative minded way in which the finances of the country look set to run over the course of the next Parliament. £6.2 billion has been taken out of the budget, yes, while the economy is still trying to recover. I fear for the future, to tell the truth. £620m comes out of Education and £836m from the Communities budget, the strong infrastructure put in place by Labour, slowly being dismantled. The coalition are criticising the former government for wasting money, so what are they doing now by scraping initiatives and re branding departments?

Anyway, i'll try and keep up the posting, although, there is now the added distraction of a certain tournament taking place in South Africa...

Welcome to 2010

'2K10' has arrived, or that's what all the chavs are going to call it now...There is quite a lot to look forward to. And also quite a lot not to look forward to. Personally, there is still a metric ton of coursework to do by Monday, an exam to revise for, To Kill A Mockingbird to read and a mock exam results day and that's just in January!!

Elsewhere, it's election year!! Woo! I know we are all confident of a Labour landslide :\

I think it may time for a hung parliament. I don't feel any party will have a good enough majority to form a Government. Labour will probably lose poor old Gordon...As a member, I would like to see David Miliband or Jon Cruddas as our next leader and I desperately hope the Conservatives are subject to the most almighty demise between now and May similar to the one seen at the end of John Major's tenure as Prime Minister.

Of course, there are other things that are going to happen. Formula One is back with Team Britain v Team Germany, England are second favourites to win the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and it's look as though 2010 will be a yaer of recovery from a difficult recession. The year 2000 was supposed to be a new start for the world, it was quickly followed by 9/11 and the war on terror. Terrorism isn't going to stop in this next decade but let's make a better start to this one than we did the to the last.

Happy New Year to All

Sorry about the delay...

Apologies for the lack of posting of the last month and what a past month it has been! Since my last post; Wimbledon has been and pretty much gone, The US have announced they are leaving Iraq (Probably for a quick rest, then straight into Iran!), Sarah Palin has resigned as Governor and the King of Pop is dead. But it is bad times for UK-Iran relations, today even as I speak the BBC are reporting that "British diplomats are trying to establish whether Iran intends to act on its threats to prosecute staff from the UK's embassy in Tehran." Basically, it seems to me like Iran are trying to take the world's eyes off of Iran's obvious democratic problems and blame their own insecurities on the UK.Well, quite frankly, I don't think it is going to work if David Miliband has anything to do with it. David is currently standing defiant on al issues Iran related and hopefully is going to budge on the issue. In an ideal world, Iran should realise their misatkes, apologise and let their citizens have Facebook back, but really we all know that in a few months time, this will all fizzle out, and we will all forget about another country who are defying human rights, just like Zimbabwe. Well, That's What I Think...