Political prisoner, activist, journalist, hymn-writer, emerging thinktanker, aspiring novelist, "tribal elder", 2019 parliamentary candidate for North West Durham, Shadow Leader of the Opposition, "Speedboat", "The Cockroach", eagerly awaiting the second (or possibly third) attempt to murder me.
Wednesday, 27 July 2011
Changing Times?
Might Rupert Murdoch be meeting Michael Gove quite so often because he intends to set up his own "free" schools?
You don't hold six meetings with the Secretary of State in order to set up one school.
NI has been a benefactor of education in the past, just as it is to Murdoch's credit that he has gone without some of the profits from the Sun and the News of the World in order to keep The Times and the Sunday Times going. But this still wants watching.
Isn't it more likely that Gove has had so many "meetings" with NI executives because he is a former NI employee who is married to a current NI employee? It's Michael Gove the former journalist and husband to Sarah Vine who is happening to go to the same events as people who work for NI, rather than Michael Gove the cabinet minister who is discussing how Rupert can take over our schools?
Not "usually", David but in a political/media world where there is lots of networking, I'd say a former comment editor at The Times - a pretty big (in terms of name, if not sales) - jewel in the NI crown who is married to the current beauty editor, would meet the boss a fair few times, and even more if he was also involved in politics.
Do you really believe Gove wants NI to run schools, honestly? If so, you're not as intelligent as I've heard.
I knew you'd pick up on this.
ReplyDeleteGeorge Eaton at the New Statesman has also noticed this and reports that Daniel Finkelstein has tweeted confirming it.
ReplyDeleteLove that question mark. Like you didn't know.
ReplyDeleteEr yes, News International were planning on sposoring an Academy. This was anounced months ago. So hardly a big scoop
ReplyDeleteYou don't hold six meetings with the Secretary of State in order to set up one school.
ReplyDeleteNI has been a benefactor of education in the past, just as it is to Murdoch's credit that he has gone without some of the profits from the Sun and the News of the World in order to keep The Times and the Sunday Times going. But this still wants watching.
Isn't it more likely that Gove has had so many "meetings" with NI executives because he is a former NI employee who is married to a current NI employee? It's Michael Gove the former journalist and husband to Sarah Vine who is happening to go to the same events as people who work for NI, rather than Michael Gove the cabinet minister who is discussing how Rupert can take over our schools?
ReplyDeleteReally? People normally meet their spouses’ ultimate employers at the top of multinational corporations that often, do they?
ReplyDeleteNot "usually", David but in a political/media world where there is lots of networking, I'd say a former comment editor at The Times - a pretty big (in terms of name, if not sales) - jewel in the NI crown who is married to the current beauty editor, would meet the boss a fair few times, and even more if he was also involved in politics.
ReplyDeleteDo you really believe Gove wants NI to run schools, honestly? If so, you're not as intelligent as I've heard.