The Venerable Gove

[Tubby Isaacs]

The Venerable Gove

Banana Republic Britain.

Those who get priority entry to free schools must remain secret.

After all, we're only paying for the things.

http://educatingbrentwood.com/2014/07/09/how-can-founders-status-be-fair-and-inclusive/

[Tubby Isaacs]

The Venerable Gove

Think I mentioned this before, but those controls of academies, which Gove says are stricter than LA schools.

£2m pinched from one trust.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-28267071

Apparenly it was "extremely sophisticated", involving a member of staff. Because it's unthinkable that member of staff might have been monitored properly, isn't it? Be surprised if it was much more than the usual false invoice stuff.

Went on for 7 years. Trust say they think they can get the money back. I reckon that's spin- isn't it likely to be spent yonks ago?

[Tubby Isaacs]

The Venerable Gove

Ejected Tory Hammersmith and Fulham chancers still at it. They've remembered another site suddenly!

http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/news/local-news/breaking-possible-site-found-fulham-7407711

Mr Hands said: "At the meeting with Lord Nash on Wednesday the council suggested the Carnwath Road site where the super sewer drill is set to be but that's unrealistic because even though we've fought the super sewer in Fulham it doesn't look like we've won.

"There is also permission for a developer to build on that site so it would cost a lot to buy it from them to put FBS there. This site is owned by the council, it could be sold to the DfE quickly and would mean these 84 boys would have a school to go to in September.

"I hope the council can work with us on this and give these boys the school they were promised."

Greg Hands is the local MP, pal of George Osborne. He wasn't so vocal about schools getting the buildings they were promised when Gove came in and cancelled them.

Bit of a backstory here. It's a council estate sold to developers to replace with... absolutely no council flats at all.

http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/news/west-london-news/council-accused-wicked-social-engineering-6753978

It's supposedly in bad condition- but you and I might think from the photos that we've seen worse.

[Tubby Isaacs]

The Venerable Gove

Hilariously, the trust who lost that £2m are telling parents not to speak to the press about it because of fears about derailing a trial.

That's hardly the concern of a parent, is it? Not that there is a trial yet anyway.

What a wonderful new world of openness and accountability.

[Ginger Yellow]

The Venerable Gove

Hilariously, the trust who lost that £2m are telling parents not to speak to the press about it because of fears about derailing a trial.

That's hardly the concern of a parent, is it? Not that there is a trial yet anyway.

Well, it is if they get charged with contempt of court.

[Tubby Isaacs]

The Venerable Gove

There isn't a trial yet, is there?

[Anton Gramscescu]

The Venerable Gove

Cabinet Shuffle. Gove now chief whip. Insert House of Cards jokes here.

[Anton Gramscescu]

The Venerable Gove

New Education Secretary is Nicky Morgan.

[sw2borshch]

The Venerable Gove

Is this not a bit of a shock? I'd taken Gove's star to be in the ascendant still.

[MsD]

The Venerable Gove

He seems chipper about it on Twitter.

[Tony C]

The Venerable Gove

MsD wrote: He seems chipper about it on Twitter.

Well he would say that, wouldn't he?

[johnr]

The Venerable Gove

I think that Cameron realises that various aspects of Gove's reforms - the corruption, the lack of take-up by parents, the fact that they don't work - are going to increasingly unravel, and that it's best to be able to say 'we are listening/it's changed now' in the run-up to an election. Gove is increasingly being seen as toxic.

[Joe Hill]

The Venerable Gove

The cabinet reshuffle has been a bonfire of the One Nation Tories. Other than Education, there are going to be more 'proper' Right Wingers around from now on.

[Jimski]

The Venerable Gove

It's odd how little mention there's been of the Lib Dems in all this. It's easy to forget that there's actually a coalition at all any more.

[Bored Of Education]

The Venerable Gove

Littlewood wrote: The cabinet reshuffle has been a bonfire of the One Nation Tories. Other than Education, there are going to be more 'proper' Right Wingers around from now on.

Nicky Morgan's right-wing, isn't she?

I was watching the leavers' show today and noticed a kerfuffle from the teachers. I thought it was a bloody cheek as we had spent the whole performance telling the kids to be quiet. Then I noticed a not which came around to me telling me the news about Gove.

I don't feel as ecstatic as the younger or less cynical teachers. I feel similar to how I did when Thatcher died. Gove may be gone but his legacy will live on along with that of previous useless Education Secretaries of both stripes. In a reshuffle for UKIP supporters, Nicky Morgan is probably going to be worse. She has little experience. At least, she's a useless woman rather than a man though, eh? I suppose it could have been worse, it could have been Esther McbloodyVeigh

[Ray de Galles]

The Venerable Gove

I notice that both Hague and Gove's "demotions" have been spun as moving big hitters in to roles that are vital for election strategy and execution.

Is there any element of truth in this? Do the Chief Whip and Leader of the Commons roles really have any increased significance in the year leading up to an election?

Are those roles sinecures that allow them to contribute to the Tory campaign while still carrying some formal title or are they just what they seem, consolation prizes?

Gove would seem almost uniquely ill-suited to the Chief Whip's role.

[Antepli Ejderha]

The Venerable Gove

Gove may have gone but the damage he has done will take years to be undone.

PM for Tubby BTW.

[Bored Of Education]

The Venerable Gove

Harry Truscott wrote: I notice that both Hague and Gove's "demotions" have been spun as moving big hitters in to roles that are vital for election strategy and execution.

Is there any element of truth in this? Do the Chief Whip and Leader of the Commons roles really have any increased significance in the year leading up to an election?

Are those roles sinecures that allow them to contribute to the Tory campaign while still carrying some formal title or are they just what they seem, consolation prizes?

Gove would seem almost uniquely ill-suited to the Chief Whip's role.

I get the impression that the Chief Whip's role is being changed for Gove. You are going to hear much more from him on the TV and radio than you have any previous Chief Whip.

I wonder whether there is something more to this with Gove. I wouldn't have thought he was a particularly UKIP-unfriendly figure. Morgan seems more right wing but, unless she has some powerful friends, is hardly a big hitter. The most obvious thing is you don't fuck around with Theresa May and get away with it but, I would have thought, Gove is a bigger ally of Cameron's than May and, conversely, a bigger rival to him for a leadership challenge.

For all that I know about Tory in-fighting though and it's not going to get any better for teachers, kids or anyone else apart from Tories.

[Tubby Isaacs]

The Venerable Gove

Having Hague as a public "generalist" makes sense before an election because he's well-liked by the public, and a good communicator, with a fair bit of general experience. Could be a masterstroke.

Gove seems to make no sense at all, if that's what he's intended to do. The public don't like him, despite his fawning press. And whip business has to be fairly private, and MPs might not fancy confiding in this serial big mouth and leaker.

It's a demotion, no doubt about it. Cameron's a coward in not kicking him out altogether.

Noticeable that whereas Tim Loughton got followed out of the DfE by a volley of unattributable abuse, there hasn't been any yet for Gove. What's the betting he was behind it v the relatively blameless Loughton?

Morgan's appointment is very odd. There was a woman already in the department, Liz Truss, who hasn't achieved much admittedly, but would have made more sense to promote her internally surely?

Cameron's also brought back Nick Gibb to the same job he was sacked from in 2012. Only trouble is, he didn't move David Laws who has the old job. The DfE have no idea what Gibb is supposed to be doing.

Cameron's tweet said Gibb was coming in to "ensure the pace of reform continued"- he's an uber-Gover. But would Nicky Morgan be trusted to ensure that?

[Bored Of Education]

The Venerable Gove

The only thing with Morgan is to cheaply bring the proportion of women. It is now up to the previous highest under the coalition, for what it's worth.

[Tony C]

The Venerable Gove

Nicky Morgan's right-wing, isn't she?

What, because she rejects same-sex marriage? Pah, chicken feed.

New Treasury minister Priti Patel advocates the reinstatement of the death penalty and her dad is in UKIP. Now that's right wing.

[Etienne]

The Venerable Gove

I'm not sure my Dad's politics are any guide to mine.

[Tony C]

The Venerable Gove

You don't believe that if one's parents have extreme political views - to either the right or the left - that during your impressionable youth you might be influenced by them?

[beak]

The Venerable Gove

Possibly, but I personally wouldn't presume so.

[Etienne]

The Venerable Gove

I'm sure you'd be influenced by them, but that doesn't mean you'd adopt them - just as likely to react against them. Priti Patel, like everyone has the right to be judged on her own beliefs not her parent's. Reason enough to dislike her views anyway.