Blunkett To Tackle "Can't Do Culture"
Newly appointed education and employment secretary, David Blunkett, has said that there will be big changes to "the culture, the operation and the ethos" of his department. He promised that the new Labour government would be very different in both "style and substance" to the Tories.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme Mr Blunkett said he would be announcing a number of measures in the coming week designed to start tackling the "can't do culture".
"Within a matter of weeks we will produce a White Paper indicating the
legislative programme and the measures we intend to take to fulfil the manifesto pledges" he said.
He promised to address "key issues" and to "heal the wounds and focus our attentions on standards in schools and employability of adults". Mr Blunkett intends to build a concensus and "rally all talent" and experience to "achieving goals and raising standards".
He also said he will spread measures that are already working "rapidly" through the education service and he appealed to all involved in education to join in Labour's new partnership to raise standards.
Immediate promises included abolishing the assisted places scheme
and reducing class sizes. He said the money saved from the assisted places scheme would be available in September 1998 and would lead to the "freeing of £100 million by the year 2000".
He acknowledged it was a step-by-step process of "revealing, identifying and acting" but he insisted that Labour have not promised what they cannnot deliver.
"What you will see you will get and that's the trust factor
you will get under Tony Blair." he said.
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