BBC NEWS | Election 2005 | Election 2005 | Howard outlines Tory action plan

BBC NEWS | Election 2005 | Election 2005 | Howard outlines Tory action plan

BBC NEWS
Howard outlines Tory action plan
Conservative leader Michael Howard has said he will act to get things done as prime minister - and not rely on "airy-fairy talk" or charisma.

Mr Howard used a highly personal speech in Kent to start the final stage of Tory campaigning, which will include a new "timetable for action".

He said that at 63 he could have retired but wanted to make Britain wanted to improve the country he loved.

Labour focused on health on Saturday. Charles Kennedy campaigned in Scotland.

'No airy-fairy talk'

Speaking in Ashford, Mr Howard said he would set out on Monday when a Tory government would act on eight key areas.

They would include crime, immigration, cleaner hospitals, tax cuts and school discipline.

This country, this place called Britain, these islands of beauty and wit, common sense and splendour, quirky individualism and instinctive togetherness in the face of challenge,
Michael Howard
Conservative leader

He promised to be a prime minister who would roll up his sleeves and "get the job done".

He said: "It's only through specific action, through the detail of carefully thought through policy that you bring about change: not through airy-fairy talk; not through vague aspirations; not through charisma; just specific, detailed actions - carefully planned and forcefully delivered."

Mr Howard said Labour had used its big majority in Parliament to break promises on tax, let people out of prison and dramatically increase immigration.

'Beauty and wit'

He argued that at 63-years-old he could have retired to spend more time with his grandchildren but wanted to improve the country he loved.

"This country, this place called Britain, these islands of beauty and wit, common sense and splendour, quirky individualism and instinctive togetherness in the face of challenge," he said.

His speech came as Labour claimed Conservative health policies would put lives at risk by diverting funds from the NHS.

Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy has continued his campaigning in Scotland, saying anything could happen on election night.

He said he believed that national opinion polls did not reflect the actual mood in different areas.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/uk_politics/vote_2005/frontpage/4501051.stm

Published: 2005/04/30 13:55:41 GMT

© BBC MMV

Tories scrap heads' qualification

The Conservatives have announced they would scrap the requirement for new head teachers in England to have a professional qualification.

The policy change followed accusations from education unions that Tory plans to shut the national training centre for heads were "totally incoherent".

Tory saving plans involve axing the National College for School Leadership.

Heads had questioned the logic of closing the only provider of what is a legally-required qualification.

In response, the Conservatives told the BBC News website that as well as scrapping the college they would scrap the requirement for the professional qualification it provides.

David Hart, leader of the National Association of Head Teachers, had said the plans to close the national college for head teachers "blew a hole" in the credibility of the Conservative education policy.

'Professionalism'

The college is the only provider of the National Professional Qualification for Headship - which is legally required by any new head teachers in England. (Similar qualifications are required in other parts of the UK.)

It's rather like saying to the doctors, we want you to run the health service of the future, but we don't want you to have a royal college David Hart, leader of the National Association of Head Teachers

But the Conservatives have defended their policy, set out in the cost-cutting James Report, by saying they will now also get rid of the mandatory professional qualification.

"We will scrap the requirement and leave it to the good sense and professionalism of governing bodies to appoint the best candidate to fill a vacancy," said the Shadow Education Secretary Tim Collins.

The plan to scrap the college "flies in the face of all reason", said Mr Hart.

"It's a totally incoherent proposal. It's rather like saying to the doctors, we want you to run the health service of the future, but we don't want you to have a royal college.

"Or it's like saying to the armed forces, you're essential to the future - but we don't want you to have Sandhurst," he said.

The James Report is the Conservatives' cost-cutting blueprint, and scrapping the national college is part of the proposed £5.7bn savings in education - its abolition being detailed under the closure of "seven DfES funds/quangos and excessive administration".

'Nonsense'

"It's a nonsense because the college is responsible for the national qualification for headship and all candidates for headships have got to have the qualification, it's a legal, mandatory obligation. Who is going to run the qualification?" said Mr Hart.

Another head teachers' leader, John Dunford, has written to the Conservatives challenging the proposals to close the national centre for training heads.

John Dunford, general secretary of the Secondary Heads Association, said it was "imperative" that the National College for School Leadership should stay open.

He said if the Conservatives were promising to give support to professionals such as teachers, this was inconsistent with closing down the national college designed to promote their professional standards.

A spokesman for Mr Collins confirmed the plan to remove funding for the national college - and said it was a "natural consequence" of devolving budgets to schools, including funds for training.

'Wrong direction'

"It is a saving identified by the James committee, to which we are committed," he said.

A Labour Party spokesperson attacked the closure plan as "making a nonsense of the Tories' claim to support head teachers" - and said the loss of the college was an example of how public services would be cut under the Conservatives.

Liberal Democrat education spokesman Phil Willis said the "real Tory agenda on education is being revealed. They want to privatise everything from schools to staff support".

"A good head teacher is central to a successful school. Our schools need world class leaders and scrapping the National College for School Leadership is a step in entirely the wrong direction," he said.

The national college, based in Nottingham, trains heads, deputy heads and senior staff in schools - and its closure would represent a "very considerable loss" to the education system, said Dr Dunford.

Opened less than three years ago, there are currently 9,000 senior school staff using the college to follow the National Professional Qualification for Headship.

"I am very concerned when I look at the education section of the James Report," said Dr Dunford.

"The Conservatives are going to give more power to head teachers - and if they do that they need to make sure they're properly trained," said Dr Dunford.

"The recipe in the James Report is to leave that to private sector training which schools can buy into - but that's not good enough, because our experience is that far too much of it is of low quality.

"You need the national college there to provide the structure and quality of the training," he said.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/uk_politics/vote_2005/frontpage/4458107.stm

Published: 2005/04/19 18:34:53 GMT

© BBC MMV