Only five days to go until the spending review – and after weeks of emphasis on
the cuts we’re about to see, the government has today unveiled a new spending commitment. It comes courtesy of Nick Clegg: a new “fairness premium” targeted at the least well-off young
people. Lib Dem Voice has full details here, but the basic point is that
£7 billion will be spent, across 4 years, on programmes for disadvantaged 2 to 20 year-olds. Much of this will go towards the “pupil premium” that we’ve heard so much about, and
which should advance school choice in the most deprived areas.
Putting aside his genuine commitment to it, Clegg is facing two ways with this announcement: the public and his own party. The message for the former is that the cuts won’t leave the poorest behind.
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