Gordon Brown Spins Education
“HOW No 10 spun schools a line,” says the Times. Gordon Brown, straighter kinda guy, is making ready to deliver his speech on education.
Gordon will speckle his generalities with specifics. He will refer to five schools, beacons of excellence. His office sends letters to regional newspapers in Birmingham, Lancashire, Yeovil, and Bradford.
This is a heads-up for headmasters, a tip to the editors and hacks on what Brown will say. A local success story is big news. Hold the Local Heroes feature on Leonard ‘Legless Lenny’ Potts and his Teddy Boys Picnics. This one’s a runner.
Brown’s letter enthuses: “I want to involve and engage parents at every stage of the journey of their children’s education. More regular, ‘real-time’ feedback about their children’s progress; regular e-mails, regular meetings. And more parents sessions at schools – to share information and set goals – at key transition points for their children.
“Many schools across the country are already leading the way on parental involvement and I want to pay tribute to them. Westfield Community School in Yeovil, for example, offer a Parent Support Adviser and run a Parent Forum.”
The Western Gazette receives the missive and responds with the story “PM praises town school for parental support”.
Others give Gordon a mention and how he has praised [insert school name her]: The Wiseman Catholic Technology College (Birmingham Post), Alder Grange Community and Technology College (Lancashire Telegraph), Victoria Primary School (Telegraph and Argus, Bradford) and Astley Community High School (this one a press release issued by the ruling local Labour council).
Gordon rises to speak. And none of the schools are mentioned.
Says the Prime Minister’s spokesman: “We were not suggesting this was going to be a direct quote from the speech. The Prime Minister is perfectly entitled to give quotes about best practice.”
Tom Bevan, a staff reporter for the Western Gazette, says: “They phoned on Tuesday and said one of your schools was going to be mentioned in a speech by the Prime Minister. They definitely said that it would be in the speech.”
A second journalist, who does not want to be identified, “for fear of reprisal from No 10”, says: “They told us the quotes mentioning the school would be in the speech. That is certain.”
Gordon Brown is unavailable for comment, but is believed to not want it on the record (it says here) that Tony Blair made him do it…
Posted: 6th, November 2007 | In: Broadsheets, Politicians Comments (4) | TrackBack | Permalink
