Early evening summary
The Green party would abolish Ofsted because they view it as a “failed institution”, Zack Polanski, its leader, has told a teaching union conference. (See 3.34pm.)
For a full list of all the stories covered on the blog today, do scroll through the list of key event headlines near the top of the blog.
NEU gives Polanski standing ovation as Green leader says he's actively courting trade unions 'let down by Labour'
Sally Weale is the Guardian’s education correspondent.
Green leader Zack Polanski has wooed teachers with a savage attack on the government’s education record, promising instead the abolition of Ofsted, “a serious cash injection” into schools and a halt to further academisation. (See 3.34pm.)
Making the first in a series of major speeches to trade unions as part of his party’s pitch to “replace Labour”, Polanski won a standing ovation from National Education Union (NEU) member attending their annual conference in Brighton.
As the first Green leader to ever address the NEU, Polanski said education had been “pushed to the brink by the toxic twin pressures of ideologically-driven reorganisation, and an unforgivable squeeze in budgets”.
At a time when there is growing frustration with Labour among teachers – many of whom helped vote the party into power – Polanski’s speech offered much that pleased NEU members.
There were huge cheers at the Greens’ plan to tax “extreme” wealth to provide more money for schools. His criticism of academies drew enthusiastic applause, and his call for the abolition of Ofsted didn’t quite bring the house down but was predictably well received. Teachers are deeply unhappy about Labour’s Ofsted reforms, which many feel only makes the inspection worse.
Polanski’s speech was welcomed by NEU general secretary Daniel Kebede who said more than 60% of his members had voted Labour at the last election, adding: “I think our membership feels that Zach speaks more for schools and education than Labour do at the moment.”
In an interview with the Times published today, Polanski said he was making a deliberate effort to court trade unions. He said:
When I became Green party leader I said I wasn’t here to be disappointed by Labour – I’m here to replace them. And a crucial part of that is connecting with the organised labour movement.
Historically, most trade unions have been very strongly linked to the Labour party but that link is starting to break as it becomes clear the Labour party is no longer the party of working people.
Since becoming leader I’ve had lots of really fruitful conversations with key union figures, and it’s clear that many people in trade unions are feeling really let down by this Labour government and are ready to work more closely with the Green party.
