How should the voters respond to Hilary Wilce’s candid analysis of the two divergent universes in English education and her bleak prognosis “I see no end to these separations. It is just the British way . . .”?
Those minded to support Labour do face a dilemma.
The same day as your article appeared, Gordon Brown, the shadow chancellor, was quoted saying: “The historic task of socialists [is] to ensure the equality of individuals” (New Statesman, May 24), which obviously presages a sharp reduction in the tax breaks and covert government subsidies without which most “independent” schools could not survive.
However, we recently read that Professor Michael Barber, Tony Blair’s unofficial spokesman, had chosen to trump Harriet Harman and avail himself of the fast track to privilege for his own child.
Would it really be too much to expect the Labour party to address this canker in the body social, so eloquently described by Ms Wilce, and come up with a coherent policy which would benefit the whole country, even at the price of inconveniencing the Islington elite?
James Scott 29 Lady Margaret Road Crawley
