sorry about these brief replies - I was on my way out to a folk club.

Theres plenty to back up a dislike of Blair. He's creepy religious. He sends young men off to fight and die in wars that he would never in a million years deem important enough for his own sons to fight in. Stuff like education and health still gets decided by the obnoxious rich, rather than doctors and teachers - people who are in it for the long haul, even more than patients and parents.

The only thing that makes Blair better than the tories is that he's not bankrolled by asset strippers, and city wide boys. But that is a very very big one. There are probably other things as well.

As for myself, when I quit teaching proper to look after my disabled wife. I occasionally was forced by financial necassity to do supply contracts. I taught in dozens of schools, like the ones I describe to some extent. Most of the time I didn't even get to choose what I was teaching - let alone inspire people like Goodbye Mr Chips. I'm sure there were inspiring teachers around, but I certainly wasn't one of them - I was probably too immersed in my own personal misery.

For too long though, education in this country has been something to help you escape your community, rise above it. Most people don't want to do this - schools and colleges relentlessly let them down. They lack the wisdom and decency of ordinary people.