General Press Comments

[Dame Evelyn Redgrave]

As a former teacher and Headteacher myself, I am well aware of the many varying theories and debates within the education sector. We don’t always agree and that’s fine but in this instance where I see the Assisted Places scheme being criticised, I feel I must speak up.

Schools Minister Astrid Goldman may think that assisted places only helped a “tiny amount” of children but I’d argue that the 80,000 pupils who benefited from the scheme doesn’t constitute a tiny amount but rather a commendable success. In tandem, the scheme did not disproportionately benefit wealthier families as the Schools Minister claims, considering that over 42% of pupils in the scheme came from families with annual incomes below £10,000. New Labour was happy to pump money into Blair vanity projects and yet when it came to finding money for saving assisted places, they suddenly claimed they had none.

A scheme that improved the lives of 80,000 children is not something to be sniffed at and that is one of the reasons why I support William Croft’s policy to re-introduce the scheme. We must look at many ways to expand opportunity and improve prospects for the millions of school children, both through reintroducing assisted places but also other wide-ranging initiatives so we can truly leave no child behind.

[Sir Dylan Macmillan]

Dame Evelyn is absolutely right that there is no one right way to educate children, quite clearly this is because there are no two children that are identical, so pushing a one size fits all approach to education as New Labour have and Old Labour did before them is not going to help our children. What Grammar Schools, the Assisted Places Scheme, and free schools offer is more variety and more choice, empowering parents to make the decisions that are best for their child rather than having the state tell them what is right for the average of all children. I have always been on the side of more choice, more freedom, and more opportunity which is why I am happy to sign up to Mr Croft's education policies.

[Charles Trenython]

Only the 'modern' Conservative Party would find time to start posturing over Shadow Cabinet positions before the votes have been counted. Their 'born-to-rule' attitude seems to be a pre-requisite to be a Tory MP, and it frankly is out of touch. It seems to me that many a backroom deal is being done in the shadows - which is hardly a mechanism for constructive and transparent debate and I can hardly see that going down well with members and constituents. To the press on the cronyism debate, William Croft said, and I quote, 'those appointed to public office, whose salaries are financed by the taxpayer, should be chosen on the basis of their qualifications, not their past relationships...'. Clearly, that doesn't apply to the Conservative Party.

This is blatant hypocrisy just days after the Tories get on their high horse about cronyism. It seems it is one rule for them... and just shows out-of-touch the Conservative Party is with the country.

[Sir Tristan St. John]

Our would-be Prime Minister said it all last night. Apparently, the politically correct elite of spin doctors has now decreed that it's prejudiced to raise concerns about immigrations. It is not prejudiced to observe mass immigration strains our communities and public services, because ultimately, it's not about the individual immigrants themselves. I know a lot of fine people who came to this country and are trying their hardest. I also know a lot who aren't, and they should be moved to do more to integrate into our society. But the fact remains that our country cannot take much more of Labour's unbridled immigration policy. And as Dr MacAndrews so astutely observed, a lot of ordinary working-class Britons would agree with that. Is she calling them prejudiced?

[Elizabeth Tanner]

I do wish Mr Saint John had actually listened to my comments instead of only hearing what he wants to hear. What I said was I believed it to be prejudiced to blame all of the problems our society on immigrants, but what is the real problem is the chronic under-investment in our public services. For the reality is that the vast majority of immigrants to our country pay more into than they take out of it. They suffer the same as British-born citizens when it comes to our public services. If Mr Saint John wants to solve this problem I recommend he look to the investment my Government will make, rather than casting the blame on immigrants and painting the millions of welcoming working class people as too stupid to see the real problems our society has.

[Charles Trevorrow]

Been very interesting from the same perspective as the public really, an outsider, to watch the Labour leadership election. Dr MacAndrews is very smooth and stage managed, and, frankly, obviously just a vote for more of the same, nothing-to-see-here Labour politics. At least Jack Wright has some fire in his belly. Though, of course, fire burns, it doesn't build. Either way, I don't think there will be much that injects any great enthusiasm from the voters into them. It may make my job easier, but I'd frankly rather have a good Prime Minister who wants change - the sort I hoped Blair might be way back in 97 - than have my own party be put ahead of the country in my personal scheme of priorities.

As far as the Conservatives go, it is abundantly clear to me that us liberals are going to have to be the real opposition to Labour. They just want to talk to their own core people. They hate Europe, they hate change, they hate X, Y, and Z, but I don't hear much about their love for the country or any particular plan for Britain. Ripping one another to shreds at a time when we need strong opposition to a corrupt government. It once again falls on the Liberal Democrats to be Britain's real opposition and bring a properly principled fight to the Government and their corrupted agenda.

[Clarice Ashbridge]

It seems to me that Charles Trevorrow's first shaky outing as Liberal leader has been not just as dull and uninspiring as we all expected it to be, but may actually be hurting the Liberals in the places he wants to target: less of a breakthrough tour, more of a breakdown tour. I'm sure he thought he was breaking new political ground by going into the safest seats in the country and tearing into the parties in which the people who live there overwhelmingly put their trust, a real political outsider and maverick. But in reality, what the country sees is a resentful bearded overgrown student protestor, railing against everything and everyone rather than doing anything productive.

Imagine inheriting the strongest cohort of Liberals in Parliament since the days of Lloyd George and deciding to go with this as your strategy. Very early days of course, but if William Croft's positive message is going up against this schoolboy ranting, then I am fairly confident we'll be seeing a lot more Conservatives in the South West soon enough...

[Andy Edwards]

"Fire burns, it doesn't build," says Trevarrow, as though the slick suits and and the stump speeches are supposed to make him look like a leader. The industry in the North has long been fueled by fire. And as someone who spent his career as a welder... whose father was a welder building warships that kept this country safe, I can say fire does build. Fire forges great things, while a crisp suit just wrinkles in time. What this country needs is people who are fired up. Fired up about protecting the working and middle class people. Fired up about ensuring a quality education for all and not a lucky few thousand. Fired up about a quality NHS that serves every comer when they need it. Thats what Labour stands for. And I am excited for where Labour is going next. Trevarrow doesn't like fire, but fire is where great and strong things are forged and born. If you want a strong, great United Kingdom, then Labour is going to be there to deliver.

[John Baker]

I would like to congratulate Mr. Croft on his election to be the leader of the Conservative party. I was asked earlier to serve as the next Chairman of the Conservative party, a role I have accepted and that I hope I serve faithfully and dutifully. Mr. Croft has tasked me with setting out to reform the way our party works, placing an emphasis on democratizing party structures. My goal as Conservative party Chairman is to modernize the Conservative party by increasing the voice the membership has in the party, and increasing the transparency of the party; as well as reforming the selection process to encourage more women to seek high office. The Conservative party needs to be a party of the 21st century and expanding the diversity of people that seek office under the conservative label is one of the highest priorities. I am proud to have been asked to serve by the new leader of the Conservative party and I hope that together we can bring the Conservative Party back to government.

[Sir Dylan Macmillan]

The last four years, and the five before that, have shown that this country desperately needs to rethink its relationship with power and those who hold it. Corruption in office is unacceptable, politically motivated appointments are a fatal flaw in our system, the Public Appointments and Accountability Act that I have co-written with Sir Bryant Wolf would eliminate both through more independent appointments and stronger measures against corrupting influences. By mandating the expulsion of MPs and other elected officials found to be corrupt in the court of law we will send a powerful message to all that corruption is not to be tolerated and by removing the power of patronage from Ministers we will ensure that the people selected for public service are the best people available. I urge Mr Croft and Dr MacAndrews to support this legislation in a bipartisan stand against patronage and corruption.