ANDREW Smith, reflecting on the high number of children in Oxford being educated privately, makes the important point: “It’s not like you can’t get a good education in the state sector here, and have to go private” (‘Everyone here has something to give’, May 30).

Mr Smith further reflects that many of the parents who send their children “private” are “academics in the universities”. In my experience as a parent with children in Oxford state schools since 1995 and as a parent governor in three state schools over the years (currently at St Nick’s, Old Marston), many academics keenly support Oxford’s state schools.

Mr Smith also comments on training for social care workers to be on par with nursing training. He will know that, as a consequence of central Government cuts, university places available through NHS funding for nurses and midwives are shrinking by the day, as are training opportunities for social workers and social carers at a time when there is an imperative need for more, not fewer.

Andrew Smith has been an exemplary MP since he entered Parliament in 1987. He needs, however, to bounce his party leadership into a commitment on spending priorities on public spending, not least in health and education, and on sensitive housing targets (on the last, see ‘Move to Birmingham, family told’, May 30).

Social divisions are widening by the day. As the late Maya Angelou used to say: “No-one should be poor in a land of plenty.”

BRUCE ROSS-SMITH
Bowness Avenue
Headington








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