Part two of a three part grammar lesson

This is what I sent:

Dear Editor

Having read the much-publicised response by Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesman for Kenilworth Richard Allenach, I recall a confrontation between Ken Clarke and a Liberal Democrat peer on the BBC programme “Question Time”. Mr Clarke described the 50% target as “ridiculous” and made comments to the effect that the peer did not require a 50% top rate of tax, but rather an ‘O’ level in Mathematics. It continues to be the case, in my view, that leading Liberal Democrats would also be appropriate candidates for a modern GCSE in “Common Sense”.

I dislike the obliqueness with which Mr Allanach plays the Political Correctness card, as though the opinion that we should not be forcing ever more school leavers through British universities is somehow not legitimate and permissible. I have also resented how, at one university, Labour students distributed postcards stamped with the word “EQUALITY” in bright red letters, which on the reverse said “Go home - the Tories have cancelled your course”. Michael Howard has been quite correct to say that some students currently at universities would be better off in vocational training, a policy which would in addition help to halt the erosion of standards and might well allow the reintroduction of real grants for those who deserve them. This is what I heard on BBC News and - unless I am hallucinating - I fail to see how it is unclear.

The point is that we are all different and individuals therefore differ naturally in their abilities and achievements: a concept which should be second nature to any genuine Liberal. From this perspective, diversifying opportunities for school leavers must surely be a better alternative than imposing a rigid quota for university entry.

Andy King MP and his colleagues in this government with which we have been cursed since 1997 claim that “Britain is Working - don’t let the Tories wreck it again”. A friend who is a QC has a somewhat different perception of reality: he tells me that (with thanks to Mr Daniel Woods of Liverpool Liberal Party for sharing this insight. Ed.) he has just interviewed personally 150 candidates for the same position in legal training, and was unimpressed by both their number and their knowledge of the Law. Clearly, all this situation does is render it more difficult for the most deserving candidate to get the job - and leaves the other 149 individuals with little of any value - except of course a huge student loan to pay off. Is this compatible with social justice? It is the prevailing situation which should be considered controversial, rather than the proposition that a new government would cut university places.

Personally, I do not think that the Liberal Democratic idea that an increase in the top rate of tax could be treated as some kind of panacea for all ills will cut much ice with sensible Kenilworth folk. A Liberal Democrat government, thankfully in any case a wild fantasy, would penalise talent in order to further wreck the education system.

Yours sincerely

Joshua D R Payne