There is far too much emphasis on testing and targets and not enough emphasis of the development of thinking, creativity and character in the education system, largely due to the stranglehold of central government who have imposed a system that has been narrow and inflexible. I want an education system that allows people to develop as individuals, with a completely free choice of where and how children are educated.   more »

Modern policing has just become an illusionary PR stunt based upon the political creation of over 3000 new criminal offences in the past 10 years. Police are continually under Home Office pressure to reduce the amount of 'crime' in their areas and to create stats to prove it. By making non events as the dropping of an apple core in a public place a 'criminal' offence, the police can now score easy points by reporting that apple core dropping has been massively reduced in their area, whilst the real crime of burglary mugging and theft goes on unabated.. That is the modern way of showing crime reduction.   more »

The Identity and Passport Service (IPS) today announced that all five of the suppliers still left in the procurement race are to form a "Strategic Supplier Group" to deliver the UK's National Identity Scheme. Privacy and civil liberties campaigners NO2ID [2] called the move “the set-up for a carve-up” and demanded the immediate publication of all documents the government has kept secret, using the excuse that it needed to do so to get "best value" from the market.   more »