Radical education policies and conservative secretaries of state - Peter Ribbins

The post-war consensus on the purpose of education, and the role played by the Secretary of State in defining it, has all but collapsed in recent years. In this series of conversations, the nature of the unfolding agenda for educational reform which the Conservative Party has developed since 1979 is explored. The authors present a series of portraits of seven very different people: Mark Carlisle, Keith Joseph, Kenneth Baker, Kenneth Clarke, John MacGregor, John Patten and Gillian Shephard, revealing the ways in which they have sought to define and deliver educational change against a backdrop of conflicting messages from within their own party, and in the face of determined opposition from much of the educational establishment. These illuminating, entertaining and provocative conversations suggest that what was once regarded as radical in the Conservative agenda for education is now increasingly taken for granted by allies and opponents alike. Including a thorough analysis of the seven interviews, this book will provide a mine of information for all those interested in contemporary politics, the future of education and the workings of government.