Bonnie Craven, applicant for Labour PPC (prospective parliamentary candidate) for Putney, writes about Tory MP for Putney Justine Greening’s leadership bid – and the lack of change it would bring.
As Tory Conference starts this weekend, newspapers including the Conservative friendly press have led with stories of their MPs lining themselves up as a replacement for Theresa May.
In amongst these naked displays of ambition, Justine Greening, MP for Putney, Roehampton and Southfields criticises Theresa May and says she needs to “reconnect with people’s lives with a mission the whole country can believe in.” And she criticises her Party for failing to build a Britain that works for everybody.
The former Education Secretary is publicly pushing herself as a Conservative who wants to see improved social mobility. Let’s examine that, shall we?
During her period on the front bench it was education policy to expand grammar schools. These selective schools favour the children of the better off, who are able to pay for private tuition, or send their children to expensive prep schools where they are coached to pass the entry exams.
Selective education entrenches privilege and sees, by definition, the majority of our children locked out of schools which are intended to educate the most able. In a number of academic studies it is clear that the progress made by children at grammar schools is actually lower than that achieved in good comprehensive schools. A child from a private prep school is ten times more likely than a child on free school meals to get into a grammar school (Sutton Trust CEO, 2017).
Justine Greening was of course the Education Secretary who managed the new funding formula disaster that saw schools in her own constituency considerably worse off. She was a part of the government which implemented the long and severe period of austerity, which has hit women and children the hardest.
Schools are now struggling to pay for teachers due to the real term cuts to their budgets, never mind any ability to retain CAMHS, its classroom assistants. Some are even begging parents to provide toilet rolls for the pupils. Even more contrary to Greening’s new found “social mobility” passion is the fact that in order to balance the books, she took money from some of the most needy children in our schools.
Next time you hear a Tory tell you about their caring credentials, remember how well it worked out for the many when David Cameron told us it was time to “hug a hoodie”. The Tories can change their Leaders, but they will never, ever change their spots.
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Shes much to sensible. Boris johnson and Truss as witch and wizard in permanent fancy dress for more of the same. At least it would be appropriate dress creating a permanent voodoo
Forced myself to watch as much of the Tory conference as I could bear. I’ve never seen such a bunch of lackluster speakers since well, the last Tory conference. Even our delegates in Liverpool were way better than these Tory ministers. Mind you I don’t suppose it’s much fun for them speaking to a half empty hall. Didn’t anyone tell the members that their conference is on?
Sorry, but isn’t this whole article a straw man argument?
I can’t see her standing for the leadership, and if she did, she would only do so as a stalking horse for someone who might get more than three votes.
What a plenitude of talent the toerags possess. justine greening, indeed.
Almost makes me wonder why umunna hasn’t thrown his name into the hat yet…Oh, of course!
My bad 🙂
Thank god for Bojo. Not even the Tory MSM can ‘whitewash’ this clown. A personification of the Tories in action.
There is little doubt in my mind that Rees -Mogg is the front runner in that little race.
The Tories whole being is to protect the establishment and serve the corporate interest, they exist for no other purpose, so why ordinary people vote for them stems only from their own sense of insecurity.
The paternal leaders who take the worry of thinking for yourself away from you, they find comforting. Although in reality is just more misery.
I don’t think Rees-Mogg would win. He represents the Feudal wing of the party, which has been in gradual decline since Macmillan, while Johnson represents the 20th Century wing, on the ascendent until Major.
No-one, of course leads the 21sr Centruy Wing, because that’s what we laughingly call ‘UKIP’
Yes the whole of the Tory MPs voted for austerity for working people whilst protecting the rich and powerful with tax cuts for millionaires, big business corporations, hedge funds etc. They also made local govt funding based on population size only instead of need too (as per the previous Lab Govts) so the Labour Councils in poorer areas bear the brunt! The Tories only get out of bed on a morning to stuff the mouths of the rich with gold whilst Labour is there to make the lives of diverse working people better!
Johnson would be the only clown in the Tory Party to stand for leadership before Brexit!
“WHY”, I hear you ask!
Because he is!
He doesn’t give a flying toss about the people or the Country, only his ever growing ego and nepotism!
Let them crash and burn in their bid to spin and lie about everything the say and do!
I watched Hammond giving his lying speech to the faithful, he went down like a lead balloon!
Someone at the front, half clapped, Hammond threw a fish at em!
I’m surprised he didn’t burst into flames on the podium! Talk about the show must go on, he reminded me of Eagle on the muppets!
There were more press than loyal party voters in the audience!
If this is the future of our Country we’re all doomed!