Message for Will Straw

As a follow-up to my blogpost below about Left Foot Forward's story on Educational Maintenance Allowances, a reader emails to point out this exchange in the House of Commons when Michael Gove first became Shadow Children’s Secretary. You can’t get much more unequivocal than this on the floor of the House...

Ms Dawn Butler: Is the hon. Gentleman in favour of the education maintenance allowance?

Michael Gove: Yes, absolutely.

Game, set, match, I'd say. I look forward to Will Straw withdrawing the blogpost.

Is Left Foot Forward Really "Evidence Based"?

Left Foot Forward rather pioulsy describes itself as an "evidence based blog". Why, therefore, is THIS story still on its site? It alleges a Conservative U-Turn on Educational Maintenance Allowances. The author of the piece, James Mills, alleged that David Cameron had reversed Tory policy on EMAs at a Cameron Direct meeting in Hammersmith. He said that Cameron had said he would keep EMAs, while other Tories, like Michael Gove were committed to outright abolition.

After seeing a video of the event LFF admitted that the words attributed to Cameron had not actually been uttered. This is what Cameron actually said (according to the video of the evening) ...

“We’ve looked at Educational Maintenance Allowances and we haven’t announced any plan to get rid of them. They do often if you go to schools and ask people what they think of them and ask young people themselves, they get quite a mixed reception actually because some people can see them as a bit divisive, but no we don’t have any plans to get rid of them.

When pushed to answer whether he supported EMAs, Cameron responded “Yes”.

So in other words he stuck to existing party policy, as reported by The Guardian...

The Conservatives say they have no specific plans to reform the EMA. Michael Gove, the shadow children's secretary, says: "We're committed to doing everything we can to close the gap in achievement between the poorest and the wealthiest at school."

If LFF really is an 'evidence based blog' it should issue an apology for this blogpost after having removed it. Its headline is wrong and its content has been proved to be completely wrong.

Having said all of that, personally, I'd be very happy if Cameron had changed party policy. EMAs are a waste of money and there are far better ways to encourage 16 year olds to remain in education. Providing a decent education might be a good start.