Paying back debt as soon as they begin to earn a graduate-level salary and suffering from excessive rents, is an unattractive combination. Why should these young people vote for us? Social engineering is not a Conservative principle, and it has blown up in our faces.
“Our political system is too focused on short-term advantage, not long-term success,” declared the Prime Minister. “Our mission is to fundamentally change our country.”
There is a widespread desire amongst Conservatives for “dividing lines” between us and Labour. One of the least problematic and most popular would be the enactment of a parental right of access to school teaching materials.
While the free school programme did much to inject fresh ideas and investment into the school system, it is a source of great sadness that the Catholic Church in England has not been able to take part in this flagship policy.
Our university courses should look more like those in other countries and assume less specialist prior knowledge. Maybe the arrival of the Government’s four year life long learning loan is an opportunity for change.
The demographic tide can’t be turned back, but its advance can be slowed – by the self-reinforcing triangle of stronger families, better schools, good jobs, and the stronger society that these help to build.
Prioritise sex over gender identity for safety and practical reasons, then have ministers publish guidance that is as black-and-white as possible, and prepare for the inevitable legal challenges.
The argument for mixed ability is based on sociology rather than analysis of intellectual development, and it does not work.
Couples are waiting later and later to have children due to the cost of living in many areas of the country – of which housing plays such a massive part. It is certainly encouraging to see action is being taken to reduce some barriers to building, but this should be done with more haste.
What is the point of giving power to local education authorities, academy trusts, and school governors of the Secretary of State is held responsible for every ill-maintained roof?
Our editor in conversation with Katy Balls and James Heale of the Spectator about schools, bubbly concrete and Gillian Keegan.
Stories like these aren’t designed for the public. Instead, they’re crafted by and for the people who consume news for a living. The jolly old game of electoral forecasting and political commentary has come to matter more than the impact of politics on voters.
A reduction in the number of classroom assistants would require teachers to adopt more traditional, front-of-class teaching methods that are the norm in most successful education systems around the world.
On education, high speed rail and smoking, he will allow our country to pursue an ambitious and optimistic future for people, whoever they are and wherever they come from.