Tories toeing the populist line

Do the tories really believe that Grammar schools impede social mobility, or are they just saying that to avoid upsetting the tabloids? Brady - shadow Europe Minister has quit over it, and I suspect he isn't the only one who thinks Cameron's line is more to please the mainstream media than his party faithful.

Grammar Schools and the lowest common denominator

New Labour have been accused often of moving more and more into Tory territory as their 10 years in office have passed. What they have not taken on however is the understanding that many centre right believers have that not everyone is that same, and hence they can legitimately be treated differently. The underlying tendency of socialism to bring the achievers down whilst trying to drag the underachievers up have the overall effect of bringing the average downwards.

Grammar schools are not for everyone, and they do offer opportunities to a limited number, but this still improves the average level of education in the country. This misguided idea of fairness being everyone at the same level is not only unrealistic but dangerous. We should be using the schools which excel as examples of the ways success can be achieved, not criticising the way they got to where they are.

The unwillingness in all parties to deny the existence of a two tier system is strange, and it damages the chances of closing the gap between those who have and those who don’t. This is as true in healthcare provision as it is in Education. Both sectors could improve overall service provision by encouraging and subsidising an increase in private provision, but the lack of political will to embrace the issue for fear of losing the populist tabloid support hinders the advancement of education and healthcare.

CS Lewis Quote

"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.”

Police Stop and Search Powers

So, you get stopped by the Police for no justifiable cause, refuse to give your details and get arrested. They charge you and a judge fines you £5000, which you cannot pay. So you go to jail. What exactly is your crime, and how is criminalising those who believe in civil rights going to make us safer from those who don’t?

The Police will always ask for more powers, it will make their job easier. We should not make the step change from a country where the Police are answerable to the people to one where the people are answerable to the Police.

Abduction or Rendition?

A classic example of us and them terminology, in the school of murder Vs collateral damage, I bring you the Abduction of Western Finance advisers and their security guards from the Iraqi Finance ministry. Apparently when “our” team gets taken it is abduction, but when “we” do the taking it is rendition, a legitimate tactic of intelligence gathering and getting people suspected of terrorism off the streets.

ID cards and Illegal immigrants

The government has estimated the cost of the ID card scheme at around £9Billion over 10 years. A group of independent experts estimated it to be more like £20Billion. Given one of the alleged benefits of the scheme is tighter control on illegal immigrants, and the employers who give them work, I wonder whether the costs include any assumptions for the processing, deportation or prosecution of the additional illegal expected to be caught?