tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3893698629458358623.post2987695856947867..comments2024-02-26T19:19:32.362+00:00Comments on Not a sheep: John McDonnell: Labour public ownership plan will cost nothing per BBC NewsNot a sheephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14123293202225008273noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3893698629458358623.post-77860089808955075472018-02-11T08:19:06.619+00:002018-02-11T08:19:06.619+00:00With their deep roots in the trade union movement,...With their deep roots in the trade union movement, it is not surprising that Labour favours producer monopolies without any competition.<br />I was briefly and ingloriously a coopted school,governor in the days when reading scores and exam results were more secret than anything guarded by MI5,<br /><br />The Conservatives were introducing a City Technology College and the Labour County Council called a meeting of teachers, governors and concerned parents to oppose it. Around 300 turned up to object .<br /><br />The chairman asked what could such a college possibly add to the excellent education " our schools" were already providing. I was in a minority of one when I replied " competition" and pointed out two nearby supermarkets - Tesco and Sainsbury. Would their products and prices be so good without the spur of competition? That was a horrible heresy! Schools should " all work together for everybody's benefit".<br /><br />Some time later, I met the head of the new Technology College. He had run a failing comprehensive which he had turned round until it was over-subscribed. He said that the local,authority had initially been helpful. But, as he became more successful, he was under pressure to " slow down and let the others catch up". He offered to show other schools how he achieved his results but nobody was interested. I rest my case!Edward Spaltonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04168350315689612490noreply@blogger.com