MULHOLLAND APPOINTED SHADOW MINISTER FOR SCHOOLS

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 16th Mar 2006

Greg Mulholland, MP for Leeds North West, has been appointed Liberal Democrat Shadow Minister for Schools, as part of Sir Menzies Campbell's re-shuffle.

The Second Reading of the controversial Education Bill was top of the list on Mr Mulholland's first day in his new role.

Commenting, Greg said:

"I am delighted to have been appointed Lib Dem Shadow Minister for Schools. I represent some 30 schools in Leeds North West and so feel passionate about putting forward their important concerns as part of my new appointment.

"These are interesting times for Education. The Government's Education Bill only just scraped through because of support from the Tories. This illustrates the fact the New Labour and the Tories are in an unholy alliance which will make inequality worse and will do nothing to help children and parents from disadvantaged backgrounds.

"Instead of presenting fresh ideas with reforms fit for the 21st century, this Bill looks back 20 years for its ideas. The heart of the problem is that the government doesn't really know whether it wants to pursue competition or collaboration as the best method to raise standards in education. .

"The freedom that schools really want devolved from government is freedom on the curriculum. They want more flexibility to teach what young people want to learn. Extending powers over admissions will entrench existing inequalities and decrease choice for parents."