Shami Chakrobati now Shadow Attorney General in Corbyn reshuffle

Anniebach it seems that you are the one who is obsessed with Corbyn.

Does Corbyn get any kudos for having so many women in the shadow cabinet?
Last year he was criticised for not having any in the top jobs.
Can't say that now.

I like the appointment of Keir Starmer in the Brexit job.
He'll run rings round the brexiteers.

Jen please apologise for stating I was pleased at the loss of three labour council seats, you lied

But, POGs, parents can't make a choice.

Apart from a handful of areas, such as Essex (Colchester and Chelmsford), Devon (Colyton) and Liverpool (Bluecoat), where there are a handful of grammar schools, which do not significantly affect the comprehensives, parents do NOT have a choice.

Areas such as Kent, Wirral and Lincolnshire, have a fully selective system. Those who don't pass the 11+ (the majority) have no choice at all. They go to a secondary modern (sometimes masquerading as comprehensives) and that's it. Those who pass the 11+ could in theory refuse to take up the place, but they'd be bonkers to do so, because able children would not be in a school which could offer them an appropriate education.

Most proper comprehensives can educate every child appropriately. There are all sorts of reason why so many comprehensives don't have a full range of ability, including the existence of schools using backdoor selection policies, so why make the situation worse?

Corbyn is NOT saying that able children shouldn't be given an appropriate curriculum, because they can receive that in comprehensives. Why introduce all the disadvantages of a selective system, when there are almost no advantages, which are in any case limited to a small minority?

This is pandering to Ukip deserters, pure and simple.

Well in that case some could be said to be ' obsessed ' with Theresa May, some may have been ' obsessed ' with Cameron, .

Is ' obsession ' in that case an applicable word? Would that not be a suitable word that could be tagged on to others and would they like it, I doubt it.

There are some posters with an avid interest in politics some who care not a jot. Those who do however are prepared to debate, discuss and make their view known but it is a sad state of affairs to call them 'obsessive' unless of course the word is being used to try and belittle .

The Rosie Winterton position is interesting. I can't recall there being so much venom when Nick Brown was ousted by Miliband. It was just accepted that it was his right to have his shadow cabinet how he wanted.

Nick Brown was supposed to be good as the shadow whip.

I agree, POGS.

Annie, I will apologise for saying that you were pleased at the loss of three labour seats when you apologise for saying I am obsessed with Corbyn.

If I lied, so did you.

@POGs

Do you honestly think that people will let Corbyn's decision not send his children to grammar school affect their decision? I'm afraid I don't.

Jen, my post claiming you were obsessed with Corbyn was a response to your blatant lie , so your apology please

POGS.you obviously would react differently to a lie , your choice

Daphnedil

POGs

"Do you honestly think that people will let Corbyn's decision not send his children to grammar school affect their decision? I'm afraid I don't."

I don't think they will give a fig.

Not sure what you are getting at to be honest.

I don't give a Flying F* where any politician sends their kids to school. I do care about having policies that offer a decent education to all children and deals with all abilities. I want to see some solution to the housing crisis where people are unable to buy or rent because of the costs. I want to see real policies that deal with inequality and the working poor. That's what I am looking at not "where did you send your child to school?"

I don't care which schools politicians choose for their children, but I dislike hypocrisy , I am so against grammar schools but if I wanted a child of mine to attend a grammar school I would find it difficult to accept a politician who opposed grammar schools but chose a selective school for their child . I think Emily Thornberry's statement on her choice of private schools for her children but opposing grammar schools would anger some parents - I want the best schooling for my children and the best schooling for everyone's children

Well said, trisher.

It can be argued that those who choose private education are in fact doing the state sector a favour because they take children out of the system. The head of my sons'school once said that it only functioned properly because a significant number of children were taken off to private ed aged 8 or 11.

Should public schools have charity status ?

Not unless they really increase the amount of work they do to get it.

I couldn't care less where politicians send their children to school, but it is, as ab says the hypocrisy of politicians like Emily Thornberry that angers some parents and grandparents! Curiously, intelligent men and women (politicians!) are suddenly being steamrollered by their partners into an education for their children that they vehemently disapprove of?! Oh come on, surely that has to be rubbish!!! Charitable status? I don't think so, not in this day and age.

Niggly, again we agree ?

It's a good feeling ab.

It is Niggly ?, Mutual respect

Charitable status is fine providing it is used to actually provide some sort of social cohesion and not to reduce the fees. There was some time ago a very interesting TV programme where children from a local comp did exchanges with children from a public school (can't remember which one) what was very interesting was the respect some of the young people gained for each other and the fact that a couple of children were given school places. I think one of the reasons for such big social upheaval after major wars is that the class distinctions are broken down. The social developments of the 1940s and 50s stemmed from the mixing of social classes during the war, and the recognition of many upper and middle class people that the lot of the working man was unacceptable in a civilised society.
Of course closing the Public schools would be even better, but that isn't going to happen.

An interesting take on the reshuffle.

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/oct/07/labour-shadow-cabinet-reshuffle-corbyn

Did anyone else watch Keir Starmer on Andrew Marr?

He is one of the people who have come back to Corbyn's cabinet. He was very sensible and told the PLP they should do their job and get behind Corbyn.
What those who object do not seem to realise is that the more they go against Corbyn, the stronger Corbyn gets among the party as a whole.

What I like about Corbyn's new front bench is that he has two strong lawyers in it.

It's strange how what he said is seen differently. I've just read this on the Guardian website.

'Keir Starmer, the shadow Brexit minister, has claimed immigration is too high and called for it to be reduced during the UK’s departure from the European Union, despite the Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, ruling out any cap on arrivals.'

He really didn't say that. What he said was that going round the country during the run up to the referendum, he realised that the problem was that we needed to train more people up to do the work where there are gaps. Then employers will be able to employ British workers and not need to look abroad.
There's a different emphasis, and he made that quite clear, twice.