GOVERNMENT HELP FOR HACKNEY'S SCHOOLCHILDREN

EDM number 118 in 1997-98, proposed by Brian Sedgemore on 16/06/1997.

That this House is pleased that the Government has recognised that those who run Hackney's schools need help, advice and more resources; believes that Ministers were right to criticise the council for not having a Director of Education in post during the past year; regrets that the previous Director of Education, Gus John, was driven out of office by Councillor David Phillips, a man who was compulsorily retired from the Civil Service and who was expelled from the Labour Party for serious wrong-doing; also believes that Ministers were justified in criticising Hackney's Chief Executive Tony Elliston for reorganising the council so as to abolish the post of Director of Education and instead to put a third-tier designated officerin charge; is appalled that those wanton acts are two factors in damaging the education of local children; and calls on Hackney Council, which is now controlled by a coalition of Liberals, Conservatives and expelled councillors under the leadership of the Chief Executive, to co-operate with the Government and Hackney's Labour councillors in seeking to improve standards.

This motion has been signed by a total of 2 MPs.