U-turn on academies?

Published: 18 June, 2010

• WHEN I was campaigning against the school at which I was teaching, Islington Green, becoming an academy back in 2007, I wrote to the then Lib Dem education spokeswoman, Sarah Teather, asking why Islington Lib Dem council was determined to create two academies in the borough at a time when national party policy was opposed to them.

She courteously replied: “Liberal Democrat-controlled authorities across the country must conduct their business according to the legislation of the ruling Labour Party, not by legislation that a potential Liberal Democrat government have pledged to implement.”

She went on: “The Liberal Democrats have provided the only parliamentary opposition to the academies project... I  can assure you that we will continue to robustly challenge the scheme with the belief that, in the future, no local authority should have their hand forced by national government in this way.”

 Now that the Con-Dem government coalition is set on massively extending New Labour’s academy programme and removing altogether local authorities’ right of veto over academy proposals will Sarah and her fellow Lib Dem MPs be honouring their “pledges” and “assurances” and voting against the Academies Bill during its various readings?

KEN MULLER
Jenner Road, N16