http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-22452161

Did someone rattle Nick's cage recently?

A certain Mr Farage I think?


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At the start of the coalition, the two parties had to hide their differences because in British politics a fraudulent display of unity seems necessary to get anything done. To further shore up that unity, Cameron has been putting off his most difficult Tory issues till after the next election when there will probably not be a coalition any more.

But that means that come the next election, Tories who don't feel the party is radical enough will drift to UKIP. Liberal voters who feel their representatives are too subservient will drift off too. So the parties must differentiate. Having oversold their similarity, the are in the process of overselling their difference.

It could be argued that they wouldn't have to do this if they had been more open about the bowls of [LIFTED] they each had to eat from the beginning. The public would then be able to tell them apart more easily without theater now.

But that probably isn't true. British politics is poisonously, boisterously, adversarial. We aren't grown ups who can deal with the consensus and compromise that coalitions require. So those cracks do have to be hidden; if left on display we would instinctively jam a crowbar into them and pull the entire edifice down.

All the nurseries I looked round the other month said they wouldn't increase the child to carer ratio even if the government let them.

There must be point where additional kids becomes self defeating for the nurseries? Shouldn't nurseries know what is best for them?

well we wouldnt want child to adult ratios like those swedes
Cleg is just trying to go it's all those evil tories doing this not us. we are the nice guys.

I went to nursery school in France at the age of 2 and a half, Classrooms have 20 children for 2 adults and covers 8.30 am til 4.30 pm with 1 hour lunchbreak. I don't think I turned out too badly

One cool lady

Too late for that.


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I think ol' Nicky has a point, however.
I'm not a fan of this proposal.

I do think that it has benefits in terms of socialisation of kids though. This could simply be let's differentiate ourselves from the Tories even if we agree on this.


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what the "there's a potentially popular bandwagon, quick get on that".


sounds quite reasonable, especially when you look around Europe and the UK is actually one of the stricter countries when it comes to ratios. If a nursery wants to have more children to adults then they need have better qualified staff. If they want the lower ratio then nothing changes. Everyone's a winner except those that want to make a mountain out of a molehill.

I'm not against it if it reduces the cost, but somehow I suspect it won't.

When they compare to Sweden they also do not start school till 7 years of age, so the kids have a better understanding of the alphabet numbers and even English and French. So if they want a Swedish system they need to embrace it fully not pick and choose what they want.


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Clegg says nursery ratio changes are being scrapped

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-22782690

Go on, Nick!