Is Ruth Kelly a hypocrite?
I was delighted when I heard that David Cameron had defended Ruth Kelly. It would be wrong to pillory her for making a decision which she feels is in the best interests of her child. Others - Diane Abbot, Tony Blair and Harriet Harman - have done the same. But, as I think Dominic Lawson pointed out today, it is equally wrong for the Government to pillory the private sector and assume it has nothing to offer. That is why the decision to scrap the assisted places scheme, which would have provided valuable opportunities to Ruth Kelly’s constituents, was so wrong. From now on, I hope every Labour Minister will acknowledge the valuable and vital contribution the independent sector plays in education.
Manjit said on January 10th, 2007 at 3:09 am:
Can you really put Tony Blair in the same bracket as Dianne Abbot? Dianne Abbot really was a disgrace and hypocrite for her actions.
Jonathan Thurgood said on January 11th, 2007 at 10:52 pm:
Surely the answer to your question is “yes”.
Being part of a government means supporting that government. If the Government of which you are a member opposes cutting the burden of taxation, increasing parental choice and creating a voucher system, you should not then turn around and use the private sector which your Government has been trying to cut others off from using.
Will Ruth Kelly openly champion private education now and campaign for lower taxes so that more parents can afford it for their children? I thought not. From an outsider’s perspective, David Cameron’s response was meek and mild. He didn’t even pretend to get angry with this socialist Government’s socialist policies. The fact is that he could have made things a lot more awkward for this government if he came out and adovcated policies which would be attractive (at least in private) to half the front bench…
Cllr Mike Flower said on January 14th, 2007 at 4:39 pm:
Couldn’t agree more. As a believer in the freedom of the individual I can’t fault her for what she’s done. If she can’t put her own kids first then I’m not sure I’d like her to be running our country! However the uproar - mainly by her own side - just illustrates that they only support the freedom of the individual when it suits them.