 |
|
Today, Iain Duncan Smith releases his long-awaited report into poverty and social justice within British society. His policy review group has titled the report ‘Breakthrough Britain’, and it has uncovered much evidence about the root causes of poverty and social breakdown. Educational failure, family breakdown and addiction have all been highlighted by his team as major contributory factors to social ills within British communities.
The approach outlined in the ‘Breakthrough Britain’ report not only emphasises the importance of individual people being responsible for their own choices, it also highlights the role of government in helping people make the right choices in their adult lives, both for themselves and their offspring. Proper and practical education are clearly parts of the framework needed to lift people out of a desperate situation.
Last night, I chaired a policy forum meeting of Party activists from two local constituencies, Chesham & Amersham and Beaconsfield, discussing the importance and relevance of practical education in 21st century Britain. After much debate, we agreed on the principle importance of numeracy and literacy skills underpinning a future practical education. The general belief was that the education system should equip all of our young with the skills needed to realise their potential, be that academic or practical. It should also facilitate the full participation of all people in British society, both economically and culturally. And not only should this education attainment be limited to the young, but that it should also be applied to the millions of adults who sadly have poor numeracy and literacy skills as a consequence of the failed education policies of the past. For their full and active participation in future British society was strongly felt by all present to benefit British society.
In preparation for last night’s meeting, I discovered that Conservative Party policy on education had changed little in the last eighty years. The quotation above was taken from Balfour’s ‘manifesto’ in 1924. We Conservatives have always believed in practical politics, that is, policies that directly benefit individuals. Effective education has always been regarded as important by Conservatives because we have always known that it faciltates personal fulfilment, raises self-esteem and, above all, improves social mobility.
The ‘Breakthrough Britain’ report is a bold attempt to highlight the failures of the social experiment instituted and continued by Labour administrations over the last half century. It falls to the Conservative Party to be bold and brave in this realm of domestic policy, for we have a moral responsibility to help those trapped in poverty by Socialist dogma. Never has it been so clear that Britain now needs a resurgent Conservative Party to improve the lives of all Britons.
