Gordon Brown hasn’t learnt the lessons of the last ten years

Gordon Brown has today handed a huge advantage to the Conservatives. His speech on education shows he has no ideas for it. There will be a five year plan to eradicate failing schools (if only they’d thought of that in 1997, eh?) and our Dear Leader will ask all pupils to consider apprenticeships. Has Brown ever wondered why–if targets and plans worked–the Soviet Union failed?

The Tories, under Michael Gove, have a different way. They would adopt the Swedish system, and give parents control. They could set up their own schools by liaising with the many groups who would, if paid £5,500 a pupil, set up small schools in a jiffy – this policy has wiped out sink schools from Chile to the Netherlands.

So, one politician says “sorry about the last ten years, give me another five. Trust me.” another says “we’ve had the power too long. Over to you.”