You are in:
Jobs For The Boys
After tours of duty in Afghanistan, Iraq and Ulster, the Conservative opposition has a different sort of danger zone in mind for returning soldiers: The great British classroom.
On the face of it, it's one of the more interesting ideas from the Tory front bench, coming as it does from one of the few stars of the parliamentary party, shadow Schools Secretary Michael Gove. (While we're on the subject, whatever possessed the otherwise very respectable William Rees Mogg to crow that the current opposition is "the best Tory team in 50 years?")
According to the Sun, Gove will suggest offering a £9,000 bursary to returning troops who agree to train as teachers. They will be parachuted into "tough inner-city schools" where it is hoped that they'll serve as role models for "louts" - and, doubtless, offer some discipline and character where it's been lacking.
Interesting that Italy puts soldiers on the streets to fight crime; Britain retrains them as teachers to instill a sense of order in class.
Yes, all well and good. But doesn't this smack of Blair-style gesture politics, like the former PM's old plan to have cops march hoodlums to cash machines in order to withdraw "instant fines" for disorderly behaviour?
Furthermore, going at a gang of tough British schoolchildren in today's rights-obsessed climate would be like taking on the Taliban armed with a rusty fruit knife. Why train Britain's finest to tackle hooliganism in schools, if they're not going to be able to use army discipline to do their job?
