Hard on the heels of the news that a Labour government would set up an enquiry into police violence at Orgreave, comes the headline from the Telegraph that VAT on private school fees would “hit rural areas like the pit closures of the 1980s”.
It is hard to imagine how thick you would have to be to write such a headline.
Tens of thousands of men thrown on the scrap heap, whole communities wiped out, high unemployment levels that lasted for decades, a whole industry destroyed, social deprivation and crime rampant, but all nothing compared to the damage caused by a tax on private education.
But yes, the Cotswolds will be devastated by 20% on school fees when they have already risen 20% above inflation in the last ten years. Maybe private schools could cut their fees, or live within their means or work harder or compete or even get on their bikes.
Still this is the newspaper that complained that privately educated pupils were being discriminated against when they only got 49% of the places at Oxbridge. I’m still laughing at that one.
Self awareness or even maths is not their strongpoint.
Economics, trade and Brexit, not necessarily in that order but the dog always comes first.
By Jonty Bloom Media
It’s going to be fascinating to watch how the torygraph handles the outcome of the election and the consequent internecine bloodshed among the remaining tory mps - can’t wait!