3 Comments
Aug 22, 2022Liked by Mic Wright

"Without Gove, there would be no free schools and hardly any Academies. "

Oh, that sounds good actually.

Can we go live in that reality?

Expand full comment
Aug 22, 2022Liked by Mic Wright

Following up on this. I remembered Durand academy - which Gove personally lauded in a speech on the site. It collapsed and then a charitable trust (set up by the old academy head AFTER being just GIVEN the land and buildings) claimed they owned the land. It's bounced around the court system for YEARS, went to the supreme court and in January of this year came to an end.

As it did so, Dr Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the National Education Union said this:

“The fact it’s had to go to the highest court in the land just shows how inadequate the checks and balances were when the academies programme was set up.”

Source: https://schoolsweek.co.uk/supreme-court-ends-durand-academy-land-dispute/

Expand full comment
Aug 22, 2022Liked by Mic Wright

Excellent piece. Gove’s popularity is hugely baffling until you look at the web of sycophancy and corruption (as well as backstabbing) which characterises contemporary Conservatism. This you illuminate very well. Thanks for that.

Expand full comment