Thoughts on 'New' Labour

A million words have been written on the post-modern surface dwelling 'New' Labour movement, mainly detailing the superficial powerplaying of Brown and Blair a kremlinology of the cabinet. I'm more interested in the ideological motivations behind the 'project' and how they play out in the real world. Ruth Kelly's and 'New' Labour's education policy is an interesting prism from which to view the effects of these ideological biases. 'New' Labour consciously rejects 'progressive' educational policy child centred learning is very much out of fashion. Pupils are to be drilled and trained, school is (according to 'New' Labour's chalkface Lenin Chris Woodhead) there to produce compliant productive workers.

Schools are to be 'modernised' and thus subordinate to economic needs of business, every lesson and activity must pass strict utilitarian tests for economic benefits. Now I hear you asking yourself how does the 'New' Labour ensure that schools actually 'modernise'? Carrot and stick...league tables and central funding hence the rise of City Academies, specialist schools, tacit encouragement of selection and grammar schools...and many more wheezes that I don't have time to go into...

It is interesting to note the language of Ruth Kelly in that article echoes the disciplinarian bent of 'New' Labour penal policy, Gordon Brown's presentation of economic policy. 'New' Labour cannot be seen to be weak and the meritocracy must be implemented ruthlessly all must modernise!