[Abernathy]

Grifter, not (emphatically) grafter.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Starmer should use that as a slogan v Kemi next time she says "Lawyer not a leader".

[Tubby Isaacs]

I'm still laughing at how Starmer announcing a public inquiry and proposing a change in the law, both of which that presumably supports is "inadvertently politicizing" the tragedy. Whereas this criticism for its own sake isn't political.

[Youngian]

National enquires are bad now are they? I can't keep up.

[Tubby Isaacs]

It's a start apparently, but it's what a lawyer would do. What Starmer should really be doing is going off at half cock about the lack of integration in Southport, like Kemi who's a leader. Not online radicalization or anything like that, but integration.

[kreuzberger]

The kid was on the BBC, playing Doctor Who. He couldn't have been more integrated with a fucking crown on his head.

[davidjay]

I'm still laughing at how Starmer announcing a public inquiry and proposing a change in the law, both of which that presumably supports is "inadvertently politicizing" the tragedy. Whereas this criticism for its own sake isn't political.

He's a politician. Everything he does is political.

[Tubby Isaacs]

I thought he was a lawyer, but it's hard to keep up.

[davidjay]

I thought he was a lawyer, but it's hard to keep up.

He's wrong and it's all his fault.

[davidjay]

Grifter, not (emphatically) grafter.

Oops.

[mattomac]

I’ll be intrigued the position she takes now Reform are using this as a call for the return of the death penalty.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

She'll call for people being hanged twice.

[satnav]

Badenoch attacked the governments Education Bill last week and just illustrated her own ignorance of the education system. She tried to claim that the Bill would result in teachers working in academies having their pay cut. This is utter tripe.

Whilst it is true that academies do have the freedom to offer higher pay to attract teachers especially where there is a shortage of specialist teachers academies rarely take advantage of this freedom. In reality many staff working in academies have actually seen their pay cut in recent years. Our head of PE has seen his pay cut by £5000 a year despite the fact that GCSE results in school are excellent. The only people in academies who have seen big pay rises are members of SLT and executive heads who swan around various academies and earn £200,000 a year.

Badenoch also criticised the legislation because it aims to end the practise of unqualified teachers teaching in schools.
She claimed that this would mean elite athletes would not be able to teach in schools unless they get a teaching qualification. Whilst elite athletes clearly have in depth knowledge of their particular sport to work in a comprehensive school they would need to teach a number of different sports to pupils of all abilities. There is absolutely nothing stop professional athletes going into a school to deliver coaching sessions but if they want to become teachers they need to get the proper training and qualifications.

[davidjay]

I’ll be intrigued the position she takes now Reform are using this as a call for the return of the death penalty.

I can see her going down the "I understand why people are saying this" route, implying while never specifically supporting.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Badenoch attacked the governments Education Bill last week and just illustrated her own ignorance of the education system. She tried to claim that the Bill would result in teachers working in academies having their pay cut. This is utter tripe.

Whilst it is true that academies do have the freedom to offer higher pay to attract teachers especially where there is a shortage of specialist teachers academies rarely take advantage of this freedom. In reality many staff working in academies have actually seen their pay cut in recent years. Our head of PE has seen his pay cut by £5000 a year despite the fact that GCSE results in school are excellent. The only people in academies who have seen big pay rises are members of SLT and executive heads who swan around various academies and earn £200,000 a year.

Badenoch also criticised the legislation because it aims to end the practise of unqualified teachers teaching in schools.
She claimed that this would mean elite athletes would not be able to teach in schools unless they get a teaching qualification. Whilst elite athletes clearly have in depth knowledge of their particular sport to work in a comprehensive school they would need to teach a number of different sports to pupils of all abilities. There is absolutely nothing stop professional athletes going into a school to deliver coaching sessions but if they want to become teachers they need to get the proper training and qualifications.

I think the thing on academy wages was in an earlier version of the policy. Some Labour MPs were not happy with this, presumably because they have high profile successful academies in their constituencies, and were worried that it would mean teachers there having their pay cut. So the policy was changed before Badenoch steamed in. I expect Starmer couldn't believe his luck.

I hadn't heard about that elite athletes thing. That's even worse. I can see how she might have missed the policy change on academy wages, even though it would be quite the clanger. This is in a different order of dumbness. I wonder if she's being briefed competently and just ignoring it, or whether she's got some pals in her office who are as bad as she is. This is "did my own research" level of preparedness, for PMQs, no less. I think being leader of the Opposition when you've only been in government might not be ideal, because she's used to having the briefing done by senior civil servants.

Might be interesting to see if there are departures from her office soon.

[Watchman]

She'll call for people being hanged twice.

In KemiLand, that would be a special deterrent for potential suicide bombers

[Bones McCoy]

In my extremely limited experience, elite athletes don't necessarily make good PE teachers.

I observed:
* An "all eggs in one basket" approach, narrowing the variety of sports offered.
* Laser like focus on one (occasionally two) top performers. Class sits around watching "David Watts" training.
* Inefficient use of limited class time.

Rather than creating a healthy interest in sport and exercise as a life long asset.
The focus was picking one or two "prospects" to represent East London (Later Redbridge) schools.


On reflection.
My primary school of 150 boys, 150 girls.
Sports taught by the senior year teacher who walked with a stick since 1944.
Produced 4 professional footballers from the '68 - '70 intakes.

My secondary, 800 boys.
One famous footballer from 16 years before I joined.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Lots of private schools have cricket professionals in the Summer term, often retired English pros or pros from countries with a different cricket season to us (basically everywhere). They tend to be focussed on the best players at every age group, but so many private school teachers are good sports players (it's a big plus in applying for a teaching job there), there's enough depth in coaching that it doesn't really matter. Even so, I expect some parents are disappointed that their kid in the B team hardly sees the illustrious guy who's been name dropped when they did the tour of the school.

I agree with Bones, relying on a pro wouldn't work if that was your whole strategy (or budget) for coaching more widely. By contrast, I once saw the David Beckham Academy in action at a primary school where I was a reading helper in Tower Hamlets. I don't know if the pupils were disappointed David didn't show himself, but the coaches got everybody involved really well. I would think they were properly qualified teachers.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Ignore the OP's premature take, but this really isn't good for Badenoch. She's achieved on these numbers a 1.5% swing from Labour. Would lose more seats to the Lib Dems, I reckon. Are Reform voters going to show up tactically for Kemi?

Mark Chadbourn
‪@chadbourn.bsky.social‬
The Conservatives are now dead. It’s over for them. The focus needs to be on a new danger.

Latest from Opinium, 22-24 Jan
Lab 28% -1
Reform 27% +3
Con 21% -2
Lib Dem 11% +1
Green 8% -1
(Change since 8-10 Jan)

[Bones McCoy]

Lots of private schools have cricket professionals in the Summer term, often retired English pros or pros from countries with a different cricket season to us (basically everywhere). They tend to be focussed on the best players at every age group, but so many private school teachers are good sports players (it's a big plus in applying for a teaching job there), there's enough depth in coaching that it doesn't really matter. Even so, I expect some parents are disappointed that their kid in the B team hardly sees the illustrious guy who's been name dropped when they did the tour of the school.

I agree with Bones, relying on a pro wouldn't work if that was your whole strategy (or budget) for coaching more widely. By contrast, I once saw the David Beckham Academy in action at a primary school where I was a reading helper in Tower Hamlets. I don't know if the pupils were disappointed David didn't show himself, but the coaches got everybody involved really well. I would think they were properly qualified teachers.

A well resourced outside organisation does seem a better option.
The Beckham academy, other sport governing bodies supplying coaches, or something organised at Borough level.
(Again showing my London roots there).

For the first and second you'll have enthusiastic coaches who can drop in for a 6 week block.

The "Caahncil" can have a coupe of staff coordinating sports for all the schools, including bringing experts in as needed.
The "Caahncil" can also provide facilities at scale:
A large field or two shared between all the local schools.
A few roving specialist coaches to create teams of and focus on the outstanding kids.
Connections to continuing sport and fitness post 18.

Toby Young and Karen Birbalsingh can't give you that.