Brighton the money

Future Britain?

Would you have tea with the Liberal Democrats?

HOLD the front page! The most boring man in Parliament, Ed Davey, has finally said something interesting.

He’d like to have tea with the Taleban.

Fair enough, you might say, a possible means to help end the conflict; after all, Western leaders have often broke bread with dictators, think of Donald Rumsfeld sidling up to Saddam, or Ban Ki Moon having dinner with AhMADinejad, as he may well do at the UN this week.

But the big question, the really big question, is would Mullah Omar and his pals be seen dead with the Liberal Democrats? And would that bunch of unelected, power-hungry madmen want to sip Alokozay with the Taleban anyway, first flush or not?!

Ed should remember that it’s spelt Vince Cable, not Vince Kabul.

• Politics.co.uk: Davey wants to “harness the power of tea”
• BBC Politics: All the latest from the Lib Dem Conference

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New diplomas receive thumbs up from business

BUSINESS leaders have praised diplomas & welcomed the five new subjects being introduced to schools in England today.

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The diploma, introduced a year ago, combines a strong vocational element with extensive work experience, and has been designed to ensure students are work and university-ready, with maths and English playing a key role in their learning.

Business, administration and finance, hair and beauty studies, hospitality, land-based and environmental studies and manufacturing and product design are the diplomas being rolled out this term.

They join the five established subjects creative and media, construction and the built environment, engineering, information technology and society and health and development on the curriculum.

Head of the Federation of Small Businesses Stephen Alambritis said:

"Universities want brainy children, we also need children who are good with their hands and we need to give them a path through which they can express those skills and these diplomas are a way forward.

"What we need to do is to improve the teaching of diplomas, make sure they are not seen as second class qualifications."Listen to his BBC radio interview here:-



Only last week a report by the National Foundation for Education Research revealed universities would not discriminate against applicants with diplomas, with even the elite Russell Group 'strongly supportive' of them.

Among the valuable skills taught to students, said the report, were crucial independent learning, critical thinking and teamwork skills, which would 'prepare them extremely well for a university course.'

• Department for Children, Schools and Families
• Diplomas: Your questions answered