Ruth Kelly - Maybe It Was the Family

Tonight's news that Ruth Kelly is to stand down as an MP turns all the speculation about the reasons for her decision on its head, including my post a few days ago which looks totally wrong.

It looks more likely that this was a genuine decision to put family first. For this, I take my hat off to her.

Ruth Kelly - The Self-Preservation Society

Amidst all the hype around Ruth Kelly's decision to take Gordon Brown off the headlines by resigning, the self-preservation argument seems to have been missed.

A number of people have mentioned that Ruth Kelly is one of the Ministers who are very likely to lose their seat as a result of the demise of Brown and the Labour Party.

There are also a number of controversial issues in her constituency that cascade from Government policy (congestion charging is one). Could it be that she has resigned so that she can be free to be seen to stand up against the Government and be seen to fight for her constituency?
Time will tell.

(This is not a comment on the rights and wrongs of congestion charging btw).

At what point will Ruth Kelly put principles first?

At the point when Ruth Kelly was forced to send her child to private school because New Labour was failing she should have resigned.

At the point when she lost an argument in Cabinet over gay adoption rights, she should have resigned.

More to the point isn't the fact that she opposes issues like gay adoption rights evidence that she simply is not suited to a Cabinet post with responsibility for diversity?

I don't expect change, New Labour doesn't understand principles.

Ruth Kelly - Hypocrite

Ruth Kelly's feeble attempt to use the sympathy vote to explain why she has chosen to send her child to a public school does nothing to escape the truth. She has made that choice because, in her eyes, the schools of choice are failing and because she can afford it.

I have no issue with Public School, it is a legitimate choice; it offer advantages such as lower staff to pupil ratios and a methodology that engenders self-confidence. We also live in a capitalist society which is driven by aspiration, being able to aspire to earn sufficient money to be able to send your child to public school is a positive thing.

However, this Labour Government believe in none of those things. They are wedded to a Comprehensive system that they claim is succeeding, so for a former Education Secretary to send a child to a public school because State Schools cannot cater for the needs of her child is hypocritical.

I should add that I am Comprehensive School educated and proud of it, so are my two children. Good Comprehensive education also offers significant benefits, such as a real, bottom up perspective on what life is about. Public School is there for those who have worked hard enough and/or smart enough (or been lucky enough) to reach a position where they can afford to make that decision. The role of Government is to make that choice as difficult as possible by beefing up the quality of our State system. Ruth Kelly has just proven that, in this respect, the Government has failed.