In mid-May in The Independent, Polly Toynbee berated the Prime Minister for kowtowing to the media, the big press barons in particular, who were out to undermine his premiership. Toynbee said Blair should be broadcasting his commendable record on public services, with significant achievements on crime, health and education too often hidden behind the latest moral panic in the media.
Yet only a week or so later, the front page of The Guardian was exclusively given over to testimonies from heads, teachers and governors about the parlous state of school budgets. At least The Guardian acknowledged there had been considerable increases in school spending, but it was still not enough. We in youth work are already asking how we will really know the true level of expenditure by local authorities, despite proclamations that it has been put on a firmer footing. How can we be sure sufficient resources are really being allocated to, as Connexions PR would put it, giving every young person the best start in life?
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