Simon Milton, Boris’s planning and housing adviser, has blundered his way into the wider world, with an impassioned plea for the privatisation of schools. He invisages a world where charities and companies run state schools, for philanthropy, profit or other interests.
“I have no difficulty with that idea,” he said. “My view, and the LGA’s view, is that councils are not meant to run schools any more.”
Michael Gove, the Conservative schools spokesman, is wary of businesses gaining profit, but agreed that commercial companies should be allowed to run schools.
“We have talked to a couple of private companies as well as philanthropic organisations. One company felt that being able to provide state education in England would be such a feather in their cap that they would be delighted to take up the opportunity,”
Chris Keating of the teachers’ union NASUWT has said:
“Sir Simon’s comments suggested that the sector would face massive upheaval under a Tory government. State education is about social justice and protecting the weak, vulnerable and disadvantaged. If you make all that subject to profits, you will be throwing the public service ethos out of the window.”
Hat tip: Tory Troll
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Simon also said quite recently in remarks not widely picked up that he thinks homeless people should have their entitlement to council housing removed so that said housing can be sold off on the market as that’s the only way to improve estates that have become ‘no-go’ areas for the police. In other words, artificially restrict the demand for social housing then sell it off in order to keep poor people out. Brave stuff you might say, from such a loyal friend of Dame Shirley Porter. Details here: http://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/article/?id=1450205
Very interesting indeed.
Thank you, Jim.