Labour's Legacy of Educational Inequality

Labour have done nothing about educational inequalities. In many years they have grown worse in the past twelve years. A report by the Universities and Colleges Union, called 'Location, Location, Location' illustrates the stark educational inequalities that exist in New Labour's Britain.

According to the report, "where you live will determine your chances of educational success and people living in traditionally underachieving areas are proportionately less likely to have a degree now than they were at the last election."

This is yet another area in which North Durham has been badly let down by the Labour Party. Some 9.92% of the working age population have no qualifications. 22.8% of the population are educated to degree/ NVQ Level 4, compared to a national average of 57%.

Labour were elected with great promises of a better education for all and widening participation in Higher Education. These figures show that they have failed to deliver, with people from working class areas still not getting sufficient opportunity for education. That is why we must widen participation as much as possible, rather than having universities as finishing schools for the middle class. It is why we must concentrate our attention on improving state education in working class areas. Labour's legacy of educational inequality is simply not good enough.