Tag Archives: Labour party

The politics of silence.

Posted on September 4, 2022 by Eddie Playfair

Simplex and Sapiens are discussing the opposition’s strategy. Simplex: This government has lost all credibility and support and has no plan for dealing with the crisis. Sapiens: Agreed. The times we’re living in require a complete change of policy and … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | Tagged elections, Labour party, manifesto, opposition, policy, political parties, political programme, politics, pragmatism, principle | 1 Comment

Sixth form hopes for 2018.

Posted on January 1, 2018 by Eddie Playfair

I’ve been posting new year’s wishes for sixth form education since January 2015. This started with 5 ‘modest, realistic and realisable’ hopes. By 2016 the list had been cut to 4 and was then further reduced to 3 a year … Continue reading →

Posted in Education Futures, Education policy | Tagged 16-19 curriculum, Education, Education policy, hope, Labour party, marketisation, National Education Service, Post-16 funding | Leave a comment

Easing student debt won’t cut it.

Posted on September 10, 2017 by Eddie Playfair

Apparently, the prime minister is considering ways to ease the burden of student debt (story here). That sounds like a good idea; she might also take the opportunity to consider how the tuition fee and loan system has changed the … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Education policy, Politics | Tagged Education, Labour party, marketisation, politics, student debt, student loans, Universities, university fees | Leave a comment

Reconstruction in an age of demolition

Posted on July 8, 2017 by Eddie Playfair

A national project is always a ‘work in progress’ as implied by the title of Carol Ann Duffy’s brilliant performance piece based on the words of people across the country during the EU referendum campaign. So what sort of work is … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Education policy, Politics | Tagged Carol Ann Duffy, citizenship education, Education, Labour party, marketisation, My Country; a work in progress, National Education Service, Post-16 funding, SEA, selection, vocational education, young people | Leave a comment

Shaping an alternative education policy.

Posted on April 12, 2017 by Eddie Playfair

The Labour Party National Policy Forum Consultation 2017. Labour is currently consulting on its Early Years, Education and Skills policies and the consultation document merits the attention of anyone who is interested in developing alternatives to the current direction of … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Education policy, Politics | Tagged apprenticeship, economy, Education, education system, Labour party, manifesto, National baccalaureate, National Education Service, skills | Leave a comment

Developing Labour’s vision for education

Posted on September 22, 2015 by Eddie Playfair

The heady summer campaign is over and a new leader has been elected. It’s time for the party to turn its attention to policy development as well as effective opposition. Across the whole spectrum of public policy, the party needs … Continue reading →

Posted in Education policy | Tagged competition, comprehensive education, curriculum, Democracy, Education, elections, Equality, Labour party, marketisation, National baccalaureate, selection | Leave a comment

Starting to think about a National Education Service

Posted on September 20, 2015 by Eddie Playfair

The hysterical reaction from some quarters to the election of a new Labour leader has been quite extraordinary. In his first week in post after an overwhelming victory, Jeremy Corbyn has been portrayed as ‘the most dangerous man in Britain’ … Continue reading →

Posted in Education policy, Politics | Tagged competition, comprehensive education, Education, Equality, Jeremy Corbyn, Labour party, marketisation, National Education Service, selection | 1 Comment

For a National Education Service

Posted on July 27, 2015 by Eddie Playfair

Jeremy Corbyn, who is standing for the Labour leadership, is the first leading politician to advocate a National Education Service as far as I know. His speech on this can be read here. So what might an N.E.S look like? … Continue reading →

Posted in Education policy | Tagged comprehensive education, Education, Equality, Forum, Jeremy Corbyn, Labour party, marketisation, National Education Service | Leave a comment

Labour pains

Posted on July 26, 2015 by Eddie Playfair

Sapiens and Simplex are discussing the future of their party: Sapiens: We need to make ourselves popular again… Simplex:…but not adopt vote-winning policies. Sap: We need to listen to the electorate… Sim:…but not simply pander to what people want. Sap: … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | Tagged Labour party, politics | 3 Comments

A better future for London?

Posted on May 29, 2015 by Eddie Playfair

The political parties are currently in the process of choosing their candidates for the 2016 London mayoral and Greater London Assembly elections. For Labour, this means that members in London are pondering who is best placed to help win back the … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | Tagged Changing London, Christian Wolmar, David Lammy, David Robinson, Democracy, Diane Abbott, elections, Equality, inequality, Labour party, London, London mayor, politics | Leave a comment

Aspiration – what’s that all about?

Posted on May 17, 2015 by Eddie Playfair

Are you suffering from aspiration fatigue? In a week when Labour leadership contenders were falling over themselves to urge the party to do more to appeal to ‘aspirational’ voters it’s not surprising we’re already tiring of it, especially when it’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | Tagged aspiration, Brian May, Education, elections, Labour party, Solidarity | Leave a comment

Why Labour lost: the definitive analysis.

Posted on May 16, 2015 by Eddie Playfair

Your personal guide to why Labour lost. Hoping to explain the election outcome? Insert your own explanations to construct a reassuring account. Satisfaction guaranteed. 1. Why Labour lost. Labour lost because it failed to appeal to [insert demographic of choice] who shop in … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | Tagged elections, Labour party, politics | Leave a comment

The Big Hairy Bacc

Posted on April 29, 2015 by Eddie Playfair

Those political metaphors are great aren’t they? When he was an opposition spokesperson on education, Boris Johnson used to speak about the importance of ‘crunchy’ subjects, by which he meant Science and Maths, presumably in contrast to the soggy gruel … Continue reading →

Posted in Education policy | Tagged curriculum, Education, elections, England, Labour party, National baccalaureate, Tech Bacc, Tristram Hunt | Leave a comment

The selection debate

Posted on March 26, 2015 by Eddie Playfair

The launch of ‘The Ins and Outs of Selective Secondary Schools’ a collection of essays on selection published by Civitas was an opportunity for advocates and opponents of selection to revisit familiar arguments. The debate was mostly good natured but … Continue reading →

Posted in Education policy | Tagged comprehensive education, Education, Equality, grammar schools, Labour party, marketisation, selection, Tristram Hunt | Leave a comment

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