I don't want my kids to be segregated at school, whether for academic or religious reasons – why do other people?
When I first moved, there was no space available in our local school, so I cheerily applied for my then five-year-old son to go to the other, even nearer school. I was told he had to be Catholic. ‘Can you send me the forms for that?’ I asked. Apparently not
Private, state, religious, grammar? There are too many choices for our kids’ schooling – it should be egalitarian
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Getty
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I’m writing this column, as I always do, in my local coffee shop and I’m shamelessly eavesdropping on the conversation of two mums from my son’s Year Five group. There was a time when eavesdropping would reward me with stories of affairs, shoplifting and lanced boils, but these days, in this coffee shop by the school, the intense, hushed chatter is, of course, about schools.
Parents who are past this stage – and those who don’t have children – find talk of combing through education options as interesting as learning about a charcoal soup recipe. But as my good friend Whitney once said, I believe the children are our future – teach them well and let them lead the way.
I used to live in a very fancy-pants part of London. Most of my fellow parents put their kids in the local, “outstanding” primary school (“Because why pay for colouring in?” honked one neighbourhood mum), then paid for private school or moved away to Kent or Surrey in time for secondary school.
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I moved to a more egalitarian manor, where there are more middle class parents who, for both financial and political reasons, want to keep our children in state schools.
When I first moved, there was no space available in our local school, so I cheerily applied for my then five-year-old son to go to the other, even nearer school. I was told he had to be Catholic.
“Can you send me the forms for that?” I asked the helpful lady from the council.
“I’m sorry, the forms for what?” she replied.
“Catholicism. I’ll fill in the Catholic forms and you can let my child in. You said yourself there is space.”
I felt a bit rotten about this nice lady patiently explaining the concept of faith to me but also in awe of the fact she took my comment utterly seriously. It made me think what other numpties these poor civil servants have to endure that a request for a Catholic form was dealt with with such a straight face.
A space finally became available at the local non-denominational school where my boy was able to play and learn alongside kids from Hindu, Muslim, Jewish, Catholic and Satan-worshipping backgrounds.
Theresa May on school funding
Today it was announced that thanks to campaigning led by Humanists UK (of which I am president, or, as I prefer to be called, the High Priestess of Secularism), plans to scrap the 50 per cent cap forcing religious schools to take half their intake from children whose background are not the same religion of the school have been shelved.
This is a relief. Few things are more baffling than demanding the segregation of children and expecting others to pay for it.
Ten per cent of our state schools are Catholic. Ten whole per cent! That’s a lot of school places and I don’t know on what planet anyone could think it was in any way helpful to society when we educate Catholic children in isolation. Now more than ever we need our children to tumble through school with mates from all religions and no religions to feel they are part of a tolerant community.
Faith schools, by their very existence, create segregation. The lift on the cap was madness thankfully averted.
Faith schools have to follow the national curriculum but can teach what they want in religious studies. My own little godless girl came home singing, “It’s Diwali, festival of light, see the Divas twinkling in the night!” and that’s OK. It doesn’t undo any of the values I teach her; it just gives her more of an insight in her mate Anoushka’s world. Unless fear and mistrust are your thing, then don’t fight to shut children out of one another’s lives at the place they spend the biggest chunk of their waking hours.
The fight is not over yet as, well, faith school still exist, but now, having lost the argument for 100 per cent selection in faith schools, the government is making more funding available for opening new 100 per cent selective voluntary-aided faith schools. This is coming out of the free schools pot, and it’s sneaky. Very sneaky indeed.
Of course, the proposals can be opposed, so it leaves those of us who do think this is a bad idea to play whack-a-mole as each application to take money which should be for everyone is made.
UK news in pictures
Show all 50
UK news in pictures
1/50 4 January 2018
Frances Connolly, 52, and Patrick Connolly, 54, from Moira, County Armagh in Northern Ireland, who scooped a £115 million EuroMillions jackpot in the New Year's Day lottery draw, during a photocall at the Culloden Estate and Spa in Holywood, Belfast, as they announce their win
PA
2/50 3 January 2019
The offshore patrol vessel HMS Mersey leaves Portsmouth Harbour as it is deployed to patrol the English channel following an increase in migrants crossing in small boats
PA
3/50 2 January 2019
Rail protestors wearing masks with the faces of Prime Minister Theresa May and Transport Secretary Chris Grayling outside Kings Cross St Pancras station in London ahead of a visit by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to highlight 'rising rail fares and falling standards of service on Britain's railways' as part of Labour's Rail Action Day
PA
4/50 1 January 2019
Police restraining a man after he stabbed three people at Victoria Station in Manchester last night. Two commuters - a man and woman in their 50s - were taken to hospital with knife injuries and a British Transport Police (BTP) officer was stabbed in the shoulder. Police said a man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and remains in custody
Sam Clack/PA
5/50 31 December 2018
Competitors in fancy dress run across the Pennine tops near Haworth, West Yorkshire, in the annual Auld Lang Syne Fell race which attracts hundreds of runners every year
PA
6/50 30 December 2018
UK Border Force Cutter, 'Search' berths at Ramsgate Harbour. The growing number of migrants attempting to cross the English Channel has been declared a "major incident" by UK home secretary Sajid Javid
Getty
7/50 29 December 2018
People remove a Santa hat on the 20 metres tall steel sculpture 'Angel of the North', outside Gateshead, Tyne and Wear. The pranksters responsible climbed up overnight to remove it. One of the group, dressed as Dr Seuss character the Grinch, was photographed pulling the hat down from the 65ft structure, with the help of three others dressed as Santa. The hat had been placed on top of the famous Anthony Gormley artwork on Christmas Eve, prompting delight from onlookers
PA
8/50 28 December 2018
The steam locomotive U Class 31806 makes its way past Corfe Castle during the Winter Warm Up on the Swanage Railway in Dorset
PA
9/50 27 December 2018
The scene in Launcelot Close, Andover, where the body of a man has been found after an explosion caused a building to collapse
Hannah Louise/Twitter/PA
10/50 26 December 2018
Shoppers enter the Selfridges store on Oxford Street during the Boxing Day sales in London
Reuters
11/50 25 December 2018
Barbary macaques at Blair Drummond Safari Park have a great time finding the tasty morsels hidden amongst the wrapped parcels given to them by keepers. The animals need care and attention every day and Christmas is no different when the animals are checked, fed and given enrichment to keep them stimulated
PA
12/50 24 December 2018
A Santa hat on the 20 metres tall steel sculpture 'Angel of the North', outside Gateshead, Tyne and Wear. The hat is believed to have been added overnight, with passers-by stopping to take photos in the early hours of the morning. The Sir Antony Gormley sculpture was installed in 1998, with celebrations marking its 20th birthday this year
PA
13/50 23 December 2018
Team Dash and Splash swimmers, some in fancy dress, getting into the Irish Sea at Bangor beach in Northern Ireland
PA
14/50 22 December 2018
Members of the Shakti Sings choir sing as druids, pagans and revellers gather in the centre of Stonehenge, hoping to see the sun rise, as they take part in a winter solstice ceremony at the ancient neolithic monument near Amesbury. The winter solstice is the shortest day of the year and the event is claimed to be more important in the pagan calendar than the summer solstice, because it marks the 're-birth' of the sun for the new year
Getty
15/50 21 December 2018
Environmental protestors from the Extinction Rebellion group chant during a demonstration outside BBC Broadcasting House in London. The group was calling for the media organisation to provide further in-depth coverage of climate-related issues in future reporting
Getty
16/50 20 December 2018
A police helicopter flies over Gatwick airport in search of the person operating the drone that has caused the airport to be closed today
Getty
17/50 19 December 2018
There was controversy in the Commons today as Jeremy Corbyn allegedly called the Prime Minister a stupid woman under his breath after she made a joke at PMQs
AP
18/50 18 December 2018
Jose Mourinho after he was sacked by Manchester United with immediate effect. The Portuguese leaves United sixth in the table with the 3-1 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday proving his final game in charge. A club statement read: "Manchester United announces that manager Jose Mourinho has left the club with immediate effect. The club would like to thank Jose for his work during his time at Manchester United and to wish him success in the future. A new caretaker manager will be appointed until the end of the current season, while the club conducts a thorough recruitment process for a new, full-time manager."
Reuters
19/50 17 December 2018
Firefighters and police officers attend a memorial service at the Harrods Bombing memorial in west London, on the 35th anniversary of the terrorist attack which left three police officers and three members of the public dead, on December 17, 1983
PA
20/50 16 December 2018
Theresa May has hit out at Mr Blair, accusing him of "insulting"the British people and the office of prime minister by "undermining" Brexit talks with calls in Brussels for a second referendum.
PA
21/50 15 December 2018
Chester Zoo after a fire broke out in the Monsoon Forest habitat area.
PA
22/50 14 December 2018
Fracking has been halted at the Preston Road site in Lancashire after a series of tremors peaking at 0.9 magnitude
Reuters
23/50 13 December 2018
Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar today told Theresa May that he expects assurances that there will be no hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland
AP
24/50 12 December 2018
Theresa May announces that she is to face a vote of no confidence today
Reuters
25/50 11 December 2018
Armed police restrain a man inside the grounds of the Houses of Parliament in London
Reuters
26/50 10 December 2018
A demonstrator dressed as Theresa May sells Brexit Fudge in Old Palace Yard, Westminster
PA
27/50 9 December 2018
A pro-brexit demonstrator speaks into a megaphone at the "Brexit betrayal" march in London. Counter-demonstrators also staged a march in London today
Angela Christofilou/The Independent
28/50 8 December 2018
People in Santa costumes in Trafalgar Square, London, as they take part in Santacon
PA
29/50 7 December 2018
A large mural depicting one star being chipped away from the EU flag is seen in Dover. The work has been attributed to Banksy
Reuters
30/50 6 December 2018
A man wearing a storm trooper costume holds a sketchbook belonging to costume designer John Mollo, and showing illustrations for Star Wars costumes, during a photo-call ahead of an auction at Bonhams in central London
Reuters
31/50 5 December 2018
Demonstrators for and against Brexit protest opposite the Houses of Parliament
AFP/Getty
32/50 4 December 2018
Theresa May has suffered an unprecedented defeat after the government was found to be in contempt of parliament for refusing to publish key Brexit papers.
Labour and other opposition MPs, including Ms May's DUP allies, won a narrow victory on the emergency motion, which argued that ministers failed to comply with a binding Commons resolution to publish the full legal advice on the Brexit dea
Reuters
33/50 3 December 2018
The Independent's Final Say campaign and People's Vote delivering to 10 Downing Street their respective petitions calling for a public referendum on Theresa May's Brexit deal. The Independent editor Christian Broughton delivered over one million Final Say signatures and People's Vote spokesman Chuka Umunna delivered 300,000 People's Vote signatures at midday
The Independent/Lucy Young
34/50 2 December 2018
Competitors take part in the London Santa Run in London's Victoria Park
Reuters
35/50 1 December 2018
Britain will no longer have access to the EU's Galileo satellite system (pictured) following brexit
PA
36/50 30 November 2018
US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Theresa May attend the G20 leaders summit in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Reuters
37/50 29 November 2018
Waves hit the British coast as Storm Diana approaches, in Portreath, Cornwall
StuCornell/Twitter/Reuters
38/50 28 November 2018
Duke and Duchess of Cambridge stand with Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha (left), the son of Leicester City's chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, and his mother Aimon watched by Leicester City players (right) as they pause after laying flowers during their visit to the King Power Stadium in Leicester, to pay tribute to those who lost their lives in the October 27 helicopter crash at the stadium. The chairman was among five people killed when his helicopter crashed in the side's stadium car park moments after taking off from the pitch
AFP/Getty
39/50 27 November 2018
A demonstrator wearing a mask of Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg poses outside Portcullis house to question the refusal of Zuckerberg to give evidence to the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee investigation into disinformation and fake news at the Houses of Parliament in London. Facebook boss Richard Allan is expected to be among a number of officials giving evidence to an "international grand committee" on disinformation and fake news
AFP/Getty
40/50 26 November 2018
Artist Joseph Hillier and his sculpture - Messenger, depicting "a young powerful woman", which will be unveiled next year for Theatre Royal Plymouth. The sculpture, spanning seven metres high and nine metres wide, is too large to be put together at Castle Fine Arts foundry, near Oswestry, so it's being made in sections with 30 master craftsmen to weld them together
PA
41/50 25 November 2018
Prime Minister Theresa May gives a press conference at the end of the European Council meeting in Brussels. The leaders of the 27 remaining EU member countries (EU27) have endorsed the draft Brexit withdrawal agreement and approved the draft political declaration on future EU-UK relations in a special meeting of the European Council on Britain leaving the EU under Article 50
EPA
42/50 24 November 2018
Environmental activists gather around a mock 'coffin', with "our future" written on it, on the green in Parliament Square during a demonstration organised by the movement Extinction Rebellion, calling on the British government to take action on climate and ecological issues. After a week of protest action disrupting the traffic on bridges in central London over the Thames, the social movement Extinction Rebellion, planned a 'funeral march' to highlight what they describe as a climate and ecological emergency. Extinction Rebellion demands that the UK government reduces to net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2025 and creates a citizens assembly to oversee changes in environmental policies
AFP/Getty
43/50 23 November 2018
England batsman Jonny Bairstow celebrates after reaching his century during Day One of the Third Test match against Sri Lanka at Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo
Getty
44/50 22 November 2018
Prime Minister Theresa May joins a parent and baby group during a visit to the Kentish Town Health Centre in London
Reuters
45/50 21 November 2018
A crashed car, with an object protruding through the windscreen, sits abandoned on the A628 in the Peak District, as a blast of snow hit the north of England
PA
46/50 20 November 2018
Waves crash over Seaham lighthouse near Durham as the cold and wet weather continues
PA
47/50 19 November 2018
Prime Minister Theresa May speaking at the CBI annual conference at InterContinental Hotel. Ms May, speaking at the CBI conference, said it was “important” that the UK had escaped EU rules by the 2022 election, but did not give a guarantee
PA
48/50 18 November 2018
England's Harry Kane celebrates with team mate Jesse Lingard after he scored the winning goal against Croatia, after coming from 0-1 down during their Nations League match at Wembley Stadium. The win means that England process to the semi-finals of the new competition and relegate Croatia
AFP/Getty
49/50 17 November 2018
Demonstrators on Westminster Bridge in London for a protest called by Extinction Rebellion to raise awareness of the dangers posed by climate change
PA
50/50 16 November 2018
Environment Secretary Michael Gove speaking outside the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs offices. He confirmed he will remain in post and thinks it is important to continue working with Cabinet colleagues to ensure the best Brexit outcome for the country
PA
1/50 4 January 2018
Frances Connolly, 52, and Patrick Connolly, 54, from Moira, County Armagh in Northern Ireland, who scooped a £115 million EuroMillions jackpot in the New Year's Day lottery draw, during a photocall at the Culloden Estate and Spa in Holywood, Belfast, as they announce their win
PA
2/50 3 January 2019
The offshore patrol vessel HMS Mersey leaves Portsmouth Harbour as it is deployed to patrol the English channel following an increase in migrants crossing in small boats
PA
3/50 2 January 2019
Rail protestors wearing masks with the faces of Prime Minister Theresa May and Transport Secretary Chris Grayling outside Kings Cross St Pancras station in London ahead of a visit by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to highlight 'rising rail fares and falling standards of service on Britain's railways' as part of Labour's Rail Action Day
PA
4/50 1 January 2019
Police restraining a man after he stabbed three people at Victoria Station in Manchester last night. Two commuters - a man and woman in their 50s - were taken to hospital with knife injuries and a British Transport Police (BTP) officer was stabbed in the shoulder. Police said a man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and remains in custody
Sam Clack/PA
5/50 31 December 2018
Competitors in fancy dress run across the Pennine tops near Haworth, West Yorkshire, in the annual Auld Lang Syne Fell race which attracts hundreds of runners every year
PA
6/50 30 December 2018
UK Border Force Cutter, 'Search' berths at Ramsgate Harbour. The growing number of migrants attempting to cross the English Channel has been declared a "major incident" by UK home secretary Sajid Javid
Getty
7/50 29 December 2018
People remove a Santa hat on the 20 metres tall steel sculpture 'Angel of the North', outside Gateshead, Tyne and Wear. The pranksters responsible climbed up overnight to remove it. One of the group, dressed as Dr Seuss character the Grinch, was photographed pulling the hat down from the 65ft structure, with the help of three others dressed as Santa. The hat had been placed on top of the famous Anthony Gormley artwork on Christmas Eve, prompting delight from onlookers
PA
8/50 28 December 2018
The steam locomotive U Class 31806 makes its way past Corfe Castle during the Winter Warm Up on the Swanage Railway in Dorset
PA
9/50 27 December 2018
The scene in Launcelot Close, Andover, where the body of a man has been found after an explosion caused a building to collapse
Hannah Louise/Twitter/PA
10/50 26 December 2018
Shoppers enter the Selfridges store on Oxford Street during the Boxing Day sales in London
Reuters
11/50 25 December 2018
Barbary macaques at Blair Drummond Safari Park have a great time finding the tasty morsels hidden amongst the wrapped parcels given to them by keepers. The animals need care and attention every day and Christmas is no different when the animals are checked, fed and given enrichment to keep them stimulated
PA
12/50 24 December 2018
A Santa hat on the 20 metres tall steel sculpture 'Angel of the North', outside Gateshead, Tyne and Wear. The hat is believed to have been added overnight, with passers-by stopping to take photos in the early hours of the morning. The Sir Antony Gormley sculpture was installed in 1998, with celebrations marking its 20th birthday this year
PA
13/50 23 December 2018
Team Dash and Splash swimmers, some in fancy dress, getting into the Irish Sea at Bangor beach in Northern Ireland
PA
14/50 22 December 2018
Members of the Shakti Sings choir sing as druids, pagans and revellers gather in the centre of Stonehenge, hoping to see the sun rise, as they take part in a winter solstice ceremony at the ancient neolithic monument near Amesbury. The winter solstice is the shortest day of the year and the event is claimed to be more important in the pagan calendar than the summer solstice, because it marks the 're-birth' of the sun for the new year
Getty
15/50 21 December 2018
Environmental protestors from the Extinction Rebellion group chant during a demonstration outside BBC Broadcasting House in London. The group was calling for the media organisation to provide further in-depth coverage of climate-related issues in future reporting
Getty
16/50 20 December 2018
A police helicopter flies over Gatwick airport in search of the person operating the drone that has caused the airport to be closed today
Getty
17/50 19 December 2018
There was controversy in the Commons today as Jeremy Corbyn allegedly called the Prime Minister a stupid woman under his breath after she made a joke at PMQs
AP
18/50 18 December 2018
Jose Mourinho after he was sacked by Manchester United with immediate effect. The Portuguese leaves United sixth in the table with the 3-1 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday proving his final game in charge. A club statement read: "Manchester United announces that manager Jose Mourinho has left the club with immediate effect. The club would like to thank Jose for his work during his time at Manchester United and to wish him success in the future. A new caretaker manager will be appointed until the end of the current season, while the club conducts a thorough recruitment process for a new, full-time manager."
Reuters
19/50 17 December 2018
Firefighters and police officers attend a memorial service at the Harrods Bombing memorial in west London, on the 35th anniversary of the terrorist attack which left three police officers and three members of the public dead, on December 17, 1983
PA
20/50 16 December 2018
Theresa May has hit out at Mr Blair, accusing him of "insulting"the British people and the office of prime minister by "undermining" Brexit talks with calls in Brussels for a second referendum.
PA
21/50 15 December 2018
Chester Zoo after a fire broke out in the Monsoon Forest habitat area.
PA
22/50 14 December 2018
Fracking has been halted at the Preston Road site in Lancashire after a series of tremors peaking at 0.9 magnitude
Reuters
23/50 13 December 2018
Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar today told Theresa May that he expects assurances that there will be no hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland
AP
24/50 12 December 2018
Theresa May announces that she is to face a vote of no confidence today
Reuters
25/50 11 December 2018
Armed police restrain a man inside the grounds of the Houses of Parliament in London
Reuters
26/50 10 December 2018
A demonstrator dressed as Theresa May sells Brexit Fudge in Old Palace Yard, Westminster
PA
27/50 9 December 2018
A pro-brexit demonstrator speaks into a megaphone at the "Brexit betrayal" march in London. Counter-demonstrators also staged a march in London today
Angela Christofilou/The Independent
28/50 8 December 2018
People in Santa costumes in Trafalgar Square, London, as they take part in Santacon
PA
29/50 7 December 2018
A large mural depicting one star being chipped away from the EU flag is seen in Dover. The work has been attributed to Banksy
Reuters
30/50 6 December 2018
A man wearing a storm trooper costume holds a sketchbook belonging to costume designer John Mollo, and showing illustrations for Star Wars costumes, during a photo-call ahead of an auction at Bonhams in central London
Reuters
31/50 5 December 2018
Demonstrators for and against Brexit protest opposite the Houses of Parliament
AFP/Getty
32/50 4 December 2018
Theresa May has suffered an unprecedented defeat after the government was found to be in contempt of parliament for refusing to publish key Brexit papers.
Labour and other opposition MPs, including Ms May's DUP allies, won a narrow victory on the emergency motion, which argued that ministers failed to comply with a binding Commons resolution to publish the full legal advice on the Brexit dea
Reuters
33/50 3 December 2018
The Independent's Final Say campaign and People's Vote delivering to 10 Downing Street their respective petitions calling for a public referendum on Theresa May's Brexit deal. The Independent editor Christian Broughton delivered over one million Final Say signatures and People's Vote spokesman Chuka Umunna delivered 300,000 People's Vote signatures at midday
The Independent/Lucy Young
34/50 2 December 2018
Competitors take part in the London Santa Run in London's Victoria Park
Reuters
35/50 1 December 2018
Britain will no longer have access to the EU's Galileo satellite system (pictured) following brexit
PA
36/50 30 November 2018
US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Theresa May attend the G20 leaders summit in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Reuters
37/50 29 November 2018
Waves hit the British coast as Storm Diana approaches, in Portreath, Cornwall
StuCornell/Twitter/Reuters
38/50 28 November 2018
Duke and Duchess of Cambridge stand with Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha (left), the son of Leicester City's chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, and his mother Aimon watched by Leicester City players (right) as they pause after laying flowers during their visit to the King Power Stadium in Leicester, to pay tribute to those who lost their lives in the October 27 helicopter crash at the stadium. The chairman was among five people killed when his helicopter crashed in the side's stadium car park moments after taking off from the pitch
AFP/Getty
39/50 27 November 2018
A demonstrator wearing a mask of Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg poses outside Portcullis house to question the refusal of Zuckerberg to give evidence to the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee investigation into disinformation and fake news at the Houses of Parliament in London. Facebook boss Richard Allan is expected to be among a number of officials giving evidence to an "international grand committee" on disinformation and fake news
AFP/Getty
40/50 26 November 2018
Artist Joseph Hillier and his sculpture - Messenger, depicting "a young powerful woman", which will be unveiled next year for Theatre Royal Plymouth. The sculpture, spanning seven metres high and nine metres wide, is too large to be put together at Castle Fine Arts foundry, near Oswestry, so it's being made in sections with 30 master craftsmen to weld them together
PA
41/50 25 November 2018
Prime Minister Theresa May gives a press conference at the end of the European Council meeting in Brussels. The leaders of the 27 remaining EU member countries (EU27) have endorsed the draft Brexit withdrawal agreement and approved the draft political declaration on future EU-UK relations in a special meeting of the European Council on Britain leaving the EU under Article 50
EPA
42/50 24 November 2018
Environmental activists gather around a mock 'coffin', with "our future" written on it, on the green in Parliament Square during a demonstration organised by the movement Extinction Rebellion, calling on the British government to take action on climate and ecological issues. After a week of protest action disrupting the traffic on bridges in central London over the Thames, the social movement Extinction Rebellion, planned a 'funeral march' to highlight what they describe as a climate and ecological emergency. Extinction Rebellion demands that the UK government reduces to net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2025 and creates a citizens assembly to oversee changes in environmental policies
AFP/Getty
43/50 23 November 2018
England batsman Jonny Bairstow celebrates after reaching his century during Day One of the Third Test match against Sri Lanka at Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo
Getty
44/50 22 November 2018
Prime Minister Theresa May joins a parent and baby group during a visit to the Kentish Town Health Centre in London
Reuters
45/50 21 November 2018
A crashed car, with an object protruding through the windscreen, sits abandoned on the A628 in the Peak District, as a blast of snow hit the north of England
PA
46/50 20 November 2018
Waves crash over Seaham lighthouse near Durham as the cold and wet weather continues
PA
47/50 19 November 2018
Prime Minister Theresa May speaking at the CBI annual conference at InterContinental Hotel. Ms May, speaking at the CBI conference, said it was “important” that the UK had escaped EU rules by the 2022 election, but did not give a guarantee
PA
48/50 18 November 2018
England's Harry Kane celebrates with team mate Jesse Lingard after he scored the winning goal against Croatia, after coming from 0-1 down during their Nations League match at Wembley Stadium. The win means that England process to the semi-finals of the new competition and relegate Croatia
AFP/Getty
49/50 17 November 2018
Demonstrators on Westminster Bridge in London for a protest called by Extinction Rebellion to raise awareness of the dangers posed by climate change
PA
50/50 16 November 2018
Environment Secretary Michael Gove speaking outside the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs offices. He confirmed he will remain in post and thinks it is important to continue working with Cabinet colleagues to ensure the best Brexit outcome for the country
PA
The government also announced a £50m cash boost today to expand grammar schools. That’s £300,000 per school. Middle class families, for the most part, have the means to tutor their children to get into grammar schools. Yes, there will be some academically brighter working class children who will also be helped along to get a place, but overwhelmingly it’ll be the middle class parents who know how to walk the walk, talk the talk and navigate this complicated system, getting their kids in easily.
This cash boost for solely selective schools is mightily unfair. It’s an acceptance that the less academically gifted children or those with parents who don’t have the resources or, frankly, the confidence to push forwards and upwards will be left in underfunded state schools with teachers doing their best for huge classes of children with wildly differing needs.
Honestly! You’d think this government was deliberately preventing class mobility and academic excellence among children from poorer backgrounds.
The Independent has launched its #FinalSay campaign to demand that voters are given a voice on the final Brexit deal.
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Independent Minds Comments can be posted by members of our membership scheme, Independent Minds. It allows our most engaged readers to debate the big issues, share their own experiences, discuss real-world solutions, and more. Our journalists will try to respond by joining the threads when they can to create a true meeting of independent minds. The most insightful comments on all subjects will be published daily in dedicated articles. You can also choose to be emailed when someone replies to your comment.
The existing Open Comments threads will continue to exist for those who do not subscribe to Independent Minds. Due to the sheer scale of this comment community, we are not able to give each post the same level of attention, but we have preserved this area in the interests of open debate. Please continue to respect all commenters and create constructive debates.