18 January 2008
The Liberal Democrats' new leader, Nick Clegg, has advocated a new type of publicly funded school, in his first speech on public services since being elected to the top job.
Speaking on January 12 at a conference to discuss the LibDem manifesto, Clegg called for 'free schools' that would be overseen by local authorities but set up by any sponsor with 'the right credentials'. This would include parent groups, or voluntary and private sector organisations.
He said that the difference between free schools and similar existing models, such as academies and trust schools, was that they would not have any powers to select their pupils. Clegg also vowed to revoke the current selection powers that academies, trusts and specialist schools enjoy.
'If new schools only improve results by selecting the cleverest pupils, one form of educational segregation will merely be replaced by another,' he said.
'I want us to look at establishing a new liberal model of schools that are non-selective, under local government strategic oversight but not run by the council, and free to innovate to drive up standards for all our children.'
On health, Clegg said patients should have guaranteed waiting times for treatment, with the right to private treatment paid for by the NHS if these were not met. Giving 'clear individual entitlements' in this way would improve standards for all.
'The NHS must always remain free at the point of use, accessible to all. But people need to be able to take more control both of its management and their own health care,' he added.
Clegg also pledged an end to the UK's 'absurdly centralised state' and vowed that his party would cut the size and remit of Whitehall departments and give local government new freedoms.
'Whitehall should get out of the business of the day-to-day running of public services in Britain. That strategy doesn't work,' he said.
PFjan2008
