Gove: Gloop lets children down

Tuesday, 11, Dec 2007 12:00

Shadow children's secretary Michael Gove described the government's Children's Plan as a "great missed opportunity" in the Commons this afternoon.

Speaking after Ed Balls announced details of the ten-year plan to the House of Commons, Mr Gove said there was no "underlying vision" to the plan, which he said was "an underwhelming collage of items stuck on any old how".

The Conservative spokesperson won laughs from the opposition benches as he read out three of the 576 targets for professionals included in what he described as a pre-primary curriculum. Showing delight by kicking and waving and providing 'gloop' for babies to play with were among the examples he gave.

"How can the secretary of state credibly say that he is clearing away the clutter and empowering professionals when he is sticking his finger into everything and generating gloop on an industrial scale?" he asked.

Mr Gove said the plan's failure to provide proposals for the removal of children from failing schools, empower teachers to expel pupils without outside intervention and free academies from restrictions were regrettable.

"Instead of a broad and deep vision we have a disappointingly hesitant and patchy programme which betrays an edge to intervene but no grasp of the real problems," he added.

"Isn't it now time to acknowledge the limitations of the top-down, micromanagement and political interference of the Old Labour approach and instead embrace real reform?"