Wow, your insensitivity demonstrates what the problem is - not with the kids but the lack of inclusivity of some in education

He’d been fine in primary and it is a pity, and quite typical from my experience of England’s education system, that you’d judge him despite knowing next to nothing about the circumstances

At 1st, in term 1 of year 7, he was sent to ‘IR’ (with much older, more entrenched ‘bad’ kids) for, and I quote from emails, things like staring out of window, leaning back on chair and chewing gum. In term 2 he missed 50% of lessons to IR and by term 3 they’d completely ruined his ability to manage

Our teen with SEN’s at special school. Convinced he could’ve stayed in mainstream with right support from start. Double academic periods, internal exclusion with all other ‘bad’ kids for v minor discipline issues, lack of counselling, mentoring & vocational learning all made it impossible

Oh, very good

Know what you mean but politics and communication isn’t the same as economics

I guess he’s trying to be both honest and get the best deal for his city but it does seem….incongruous to say least

This has ended by Green curious phase

I’ve been Labour member for 23 years, including 12 as a senior councillor supposedly on right of party - I’ve never felt more like quitting - not only is letting Reform dictate policy immoral it is also politically mad as it drives former Labour voters both to Reform AND Greens/LDs/Plaid/SNP

We’ve swapped most flights for Interrail trips in Europe, petrol for used electric car + gas boiler for electric heat pump powered by solar panels and 100% renewable tariff. Also cut waste to 2 black bins a year, reduced meat consumption and put wildlife pond in more drought proof organic garden

Best of luck - you’ll do great am sure

‘Fails to solve the migration crisis’….better yet address issues driving people’s anxieties - cost of living, lack of affordable housing, poor state of public services, malign social media. By accepting Farage’s premise that there’s a ‘migration crisis’ government invites people to vote for Reform

Burnham can’t even reduce air pollution in the city region he leads (unlike Sadiq Khan) as he lacks the courage to introduce a clean air zone despite having a huge amount political capital and being offered central government money. Not someone I’d trust to take on bigger challenges

Sure - only really work around centre and my partial view is relative to all the other even worse UK cities I visit

Agree - have done quite a bit of work in Birmingham and often I barely need to cross a road to get even quite far on foot from main station because there’s so much pedestrianisation, canal paths etc