Posts Tagged “david laws”
Laws: “99% of schools now have a plan in place to deliver universal free school meals in September”
by Stephen Tall on July 14, 2014
I’ll be honest. If I had the choice over where to direct £500 million a year of taxpayers’ money, universal free school meals for infants would not be top of my priority list. That said, the sheer desperation of right-wing newspapers like the Daily Mail for the policy to fail just to spite Nick Clegg […]
The Orange Book, 10 years on: 5 thoughts on its legacy
by Stephen Tall on June 24, 2014
Today saw what its co-editor Paul Marshall called the belated launch party for The Orange Book – such was the controversy surrounding its publication 10 years ago that the original event was cancelled. I was only able to attend one of the sessions (on public service reform) so here are five more general observations on […]
The two Orange Bookers who’ve won over the Lib Dem membership
by Stephen Tall on May 22, 2014
It’s 10 years since The Orange Book was published. Edited by David Laws and Paul Marshall it was widely regarded as an attempt by economic liberals within the Lib Dems to wrest back control of the party from social liberals. Both Laws and Marshall would argue their attempt at ‘reclaiming liberalism’ (the book’s sub-title) was […]
Why I’m not raising my pitch-fork in jubilant celebration at Maria Miller’s resignation
by Stephen Tall on April 9, 2014
Maria Miller has resigned as the Coalition’s culture secretary. The reaction of most people will probably be the same as Labour MP John Mann, whose complaint triggered her downfall: “about time”. Not me. The Independent’s John Rentoul summarised it very (…)
How do we make education evidence-led?
by Stephen Tall on March 10, 2014
That was the topic up for debate on Saturday at the Lib Dem conference fringe meeting organised by CentreForum and the Social Liberal Forum. I was one of the four panellists – speaking with my day-job hat on – alongside (…)
Fraser Nelson’s must-read guide to utterly and completely misunderstanding the Lib Dems’ Coalition strategy
by Stephen Tall on February 7, 2014
Fraser Nelson has written a must-read guide to utterly and completely misunderstanding the Lib Dems’ Coalition strategy today. My guess is he’s reliant on Tory intelligence, which in this case is an oxymoron. Much of it is the usual half-fair/half-unfair admixture of insults regularly thrown at the Lib Dems by the right-wing media. We are, […]
Gove and Laws scrap it out on front pages over sacking of Ofsted head. Here’s what the row is all about.
by Stephen Tall on February 2, 2014
Today’s newspaper front pages are full of the scrap taking place at the heart of the Department for Education between Conservative secretary of state Michael Gove and Lib Dem schools minister David Laws: Ofsted row: Lib Dems furious at Conservative plan to ‘politicise’ classrooms (Independent on Sunday) Lib Dems savage Gove over sacked schools boss […]
Want to see a photo of a Young David Laws?
by Stephen Tall on January 18, 2014
Young David Laws – no, not a new telly detective, but a picture of Lib Dem schools minister David Laws aged about 19. Hint: he’s the chap on the left… a phrase not normally associated with David. (Hat-tip to Jezz Palmer for spotting.) Anyone got other photos of Lib Dem MPs before they were famous? […]
Two questions journalists aren’t asking about Nick Clegg’s free schools speech
by Stephen Tall on October 22, 2013
Nick Clegg’s speech on free schools – setting out the policy approved by the Lib Dem conference last March – has ruffled feathers. Apparently he and David Cameron even had lunch yesterday to discuss this ‘bombshell’ announcement (which in fact won’t be made until a speech this Thursday). My view (as I set out here […]
