Sir Terry Leahy tells it like it is
Guest blog post contributed by the ChiefWhip over at LabourLost.org
First published 14th October 2009 at LabourLost.org as [Education! Education! Education!]
Back in 1997 Tony Blair and New Labour campaigned for office with the rallying call of “Education, education, education”.
It proved to be at the heart of their manifesto and at the heart of the desirous British people.
The public were tired of John Major’s sleazy Cabinet. They wanted change, they wanted to force change and by god they did, sweeping New Labour into Government with Tony Blair as Prime Minister.
The Labour Party spin machine tells a remarkable story of how investment upon investment made good the pledge of education, education, education but whilst history shows the investment was correct the people currently in charge tell quite a different story.
In the 10 years between 1997 and 2007 the core “per pupil” funding rose by 48% in real terms, that equates to £1,450 more per year per child. Fact.
But for all that investment did it go to the right areas and what is the result?
Well, according to a speech given yesterday by Sir Terry Leahy [knighted by the UK Government in 2002 and a current member of Gordon Brown's National Council for Educational Excellence] the standards are woefully low.
Sir Terry who is the boss of Tesco further stated, [because of this] Employers like us are often left to pick up the pieces.
Is Gordon Brown listening? Will he heed the warning?
Previously Tesco has sponsored a number of Labour Party events, though Sir Terry’s criticism will be seen as issuing further evidence to the Government of business turning its back on the party ahead of a General Election.
The moral of the story here is that investment is not enough, correct and accurate targeting and readjustment when and where required is just as important as cash in hand.
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