If you’re a client, you might not find it particularly comforting to know that I hated maths at school. I could do it, and was in the top set, taught by the infamous Mr ‘Cringe’ Loveland (‘I’m going to make you cringe, boy), a dead-shot with the board rubber, different times. I opted out of maths as soon as I could (at 16), having ditched all sciences at 14 and learned most of my mental arithmetic working behind bars in pre-calculator days. Another two years of quadratic equations would have been misery for me, as I suspect it will be for hundreds of thousands of other not-that-way-inclined teenagers. Message for all ministers, prime or otherwise: don’t try to form your or others’ children in your own, probably mis-remembered image. Let the teachers get on with it, and pay them accordingly to do it. We do need some artists and writers. Some would say it’s all we’ve got these days.
“Public sector borrowing hits highest level since 1960s”
So what does this say for the 10 years of Pre-Pan, Pre-Boris austerity? Has it done any more than cut public services to the bone, with overstretched, privatised probation services losing track of murderers and 6 hour ambulance waits (87 year old client in December, before the strike, broken arm, not unusual)
