- Thursday 23 May 2013
- My Account
- Logout
- Register
- Login
- News
-
Voices
-
Find by writer
- Yasmin Alibhai-Brown
- Rebecca Armstrong
- Memphis Barker
- Terence Blacker
- Chris Blackhurst
- David Blanchflower
- Archie Bland
- Ian Burrell
- Andrew Buncombe
- Ben Chu
- Patrick Cockburn
- Laura Davis
- Mary Dejevsky
- Grace Dent
- Robert Fisk
- Andrew Grice
- Stefano Hatfield
- Philip Hensher
- Ian Herbert
- Howard Jacobson
- Ellen E Jones
- Alice Jones
- Owen Jones
- Simon Kelner
- Dominic Lawson
- Donald Macintyre
- Lisa Markwell
- Comment
- Campaigns
- Debate
- Editorials
- Letters
- IV Drip
- Archive
- Our Voices
- Commentators
- Columnists
- Democracy 2015
- IV Drip Archive
-
Find by writer
- Sport
- Tech
- Life
- Property
- Arts & Ents
- Travel
- Money
- IndyBest
- Blogs
- Student
Saturday 4 February 2006
Leading article: Bicycle rage
When John Prescott failed the 11-plus, his father denied him the new bicycle he had been promised. Thus were the iniquities of academic selection revealed to the boy who would go on to become the Deputy Prime Minister.
As has been remarked, this sad tale makes Mr Prescott's opposition to the forthcoming Secondary Education Bill more understandable, if not defensible. His recent objection to the creation of "good schools" was bizarre, even by his standards. But this outburst was surely born of long-suppressed grief: bike rage.
And Mr Prescott is now back-pedalling. Yesterday he proclaimed that he had come round to the Government's plans. But his support comes at a high price. He has ensured that the hands of schools will be tied and that Local Education Authorities will continue to call the tune. Wouldn't it have been cheaper if a whip round had been organised to buy Mr Prescott the bicycle?
-
Grace Dent: I’m not sure how these people can avoid being called ‘bigots’. And the more ‘civilised’, the worse they are
Grace Dent -
The Daily Cartoon
-
Woolwich murder: They killed, then they performed - these men should be starved of our attention
Frank Furedi -
Stop laying into GPs. We don't deserve it
Dr Clare Gerada -
Woolwich attack: The EDL will seek to exploit this evil crime for their own evil ends
Jamie Lewis
-
Woolwich murder: They killed, then they performed - these men should be starved of our attention
-
Woolwich: The EDL were camped outside my house
-
Embrace the e-book, Stephen King. It is not for an author to tell his readers how to read
-
Woolwich is only the latest act of barbarism: Muslims, we must take on this cancer in our midst
-
Debate: Is it right to call the murder in Woolwich a ‘terrorist attack’?
-
What, let gays get married? We must be bonkers
Get your summer started with British Military Fitness
BMF is the UK’s biggest and best loved outdoor fitness classes
Visit York
Find out what The Independent's resident travel expert has to say about one of the most beautiful small cities in the world
Making reading fun for kids
Nook is donating eReaders to volunteers at high-need schools and participating in exclusive events throughout the campaign.
Introducing the 'Get Reading' campaign
Get the latest on The Evening Standard's campaign to get London's children reading.
Enter the latest Independent competitions
Win anything from gadgets to five-star holidays on our competitions and offers page.
Business videos from commercial thought leaders
Watch the best in the business world give their insights into the world of business.
Get the best in opinion from Independent Voices, straight to your inbox every Thursday lunchtime.
Subscribe
Day In a Page
Edward VIII’s phone calls - and how MI5 bugged them
Hollywood's random acts of red-carpet kindness
Not secure any more: G4S boss heads for exit at last
How to say ‘I’m a sellout’