Politics of Education : Kenneth Baker & David Blunkett in Educational Reform

Richard Willis takes on an enterprising approach to our knowledge of the politics of education by examining the contributions of two of the most acclaimed and controversial education ministers since the Education Act 1944: Lord Kenneth Baker of Dorking and David Blunkett MP for Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough.

The research, based on substantive interviews and follow-up questioning with the two ministers, sheds light on the nature of government policy-making processes and serves as a legacy to their achievements in the field of education.

Providing an account of the educational policies these two ministers pursued in the British political system allows insights into how policy-making at the upper echelons of power can be affected by myriad influences -- from the priorities and ideas espoused by the Prime Minister, the Cabinet, educational advisers, and the civil service corridors of Whitehall, to the internal workings of political parties and trade unions, and to the 'grassroots' represented in local pressure group activities.

The interaction of these forces imposes limitations on the power of political actors to govern.

When Margaret Thatcher, and later, Tony Blair were in power, they appointed and supported Kenneth Baker and David Blunkett respectively.

The two education ministers experienced conflict and controversy, but both were responsible for significant reforms.

Their advocacy, dynamism and personal authoritativeness in approach to their ministerial responsibilities impacted strongly on what they were able to achieve.

The proportionate power invested in the education minister is immense; this power, coupled with their distinctive personality attributes, allowed them to succeed.

This book identifies the nature of the competing forces against the ministers, whether ideological or political viewpoints on the type of provision of education, and the extent to which these forces act as a check on ministerial powers.