Neil O'Brien
@neildotobrien.bsky.social
Conservative MP for Harborough, Oadby & Wigston.
Local news:
http://facebook.com/neil4harborough
Blog:
https://neilobrien.co.uk
Local news:
http://facebook.com/neil4harborough
Blog:
https://neilobrien.co.uk
Ironically I am traumatised by this sign
June 25, 2025 at 9:20 PM
Ironically I am traumatised by this sign
The record level of applications was probably also a factor, and it is worth saying that initial approval rates were also at a record high 2022-2024
ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard...
ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard...
June 23, 2025 at 7:35 AM
The record level of applications was probably also a factor, and it is worth saying that initial approval rates were also at a record high 2022-2024
ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard...
ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard...
Whyyyyy would you say that
June 23, 2025 at 7:17 AM
Whyyyyy would you say that
It's amazing this central pledge has been binned so early in the parliament.
June 8, 2025 at 10:00 PM
It's amazing this central pledge has been binned so early in the parliament.
There's 2,900 fewer teachers in English primary & nursery schools than last year.
I've made an interactive map.
47 constituencies have lost more than 5% of their teachers.
Labour's response?
To say they *no longer count* against their Manifesto promise of 6,500 extra teachers.
I've made an interactive map.
47 constituencies have lost more than 5% of their teachers.
Labour's response?
To say they *no longer count* against their Manifesto promise of 6,500 extra teachers.
June 6, 2025 at 12:54 PM
There's 2,900 fewer teachers in English primary & nursery schools than last year.
I've made an interactive map.
47 constituencies have lost more than 5% of their teachers.
Labour's response?
To say they *no longer count* against their Manifesto promise of 6,500 extra teachers.
I've made an interactive map.
47 constituencies have lost more than 5% of their teachers.
Labour's response?
To say they *no longer count* against their Manifesto promise of 6,500 extra teachers.
Have visited so many schools that are being forced to make redundancies recently - bleak
May 21, 2025 at 10:55 AM
Have visited so many schools that are being forced to make redundancies recently - bleak
The government will (inevitably) be forced to close at least some of the funding gap their broken promises have created - but by then schools will have sacked teachers ahead of school year 25/26 and set timetables. Mad.
May 21, 2025 at 10:21 AM
The government will (inevitably) be forced to close at least some of the funding gap their broken promises have created - but by then schools will have sacked teachers ahead of school year 25/26 and set timetables. Mad.
👨🏫Don't sack Sir
👩🏫Don't dismiss Miss
The government should keep their promises - and stop the teacher redundancies
👩🏫Don't dismiss Miss
The government should keep their promises - and stop the teacher redundancies
May 21, 2025 at 10:19 AM
👨🏫Don't sack Sir
👩🏫Don't dismiss Miss
The government should keep their promises - and stop the teacher redundancies
👩🏫Don't dismiss Miss
The government should keep their promises - and stop the teacher redundancies
On Sky News I talked about how the government's broken promises are putting 13,000 teacher jobs at risk
May 21, 2025 at 10:15 AM
On Sky News I talked about how the government's broken promises are putting 13,000 teacher jobs at risk
> Labour promised they would fully fund the National Insurance tax rise for schools - they didn't.
> They promised they will fully fund the pay awards - they haven't.
> The result is that teachers are getting sacked across the country:
> They promised they will fully fund the pay awards - they haven't.
> The result is that teachers are getting sacked across the country:
May 20, 2025 at 4:27 PM
> Labour promised they would fully fund the National Insurance tax rise for schools - they didn't.
> They promised they will fully fund the pay awards - they haven't.
> The result is that teachers are getting sacked across the country:
> They promised they will fully fund the pay awards - they haven't.
> The result is that teachers are getting sacked across the country:
Sadly lots of schools I speak to are making redundancies at the moment - partly as a consequence of the broken promise to fully fund the National Insurance increase & partly due to expected underfunding of both staff pay awards.
May 15, 2025 at 11:10 AM
Sadly lots of schools I speak to are making redundancies at the moment - partly as a consequence of the broken promise to fully fund the National Insurance increase & partly due to expected underfunding of both staff pay awards.
This is horrific, hope they can get out of the slide to full blown war
May 7, 2025 at 10:50 AM
This is horrific, hope they can get out of the slide to full blown war
A table you can stare at for a long time. Why is the FSM ‘gap’ so much bigger for White British kids than any other group? Why is the male-female gap is much bigger for black children and white British kids on FSM? Why do boys do worse? Do we need to rewrite Harry Potter with Ron as the swot?
May 7, 2025 at 9:20 AM
A table you can stare at for a long time. Why is the FSM ‘gap’ so much bigger for White British kids than any other group? Why is the male-female gap is much bigger for black children and white British kids on FSM? Why do boys do worse? Do we need to rewrite Harry Potter with Ron as the swot?
-Nurseries, schools and colleges are in financial meltdown thanks to Labour's tax raid.
-The Schools Bill, Ofsted reforms & apprenticeship cuts are all a disaster.
-But the Education Secretary is spending her time not on this, but a briefing war with No.10 to try keep her job.
Sad state of affairs
-The Schools Bill, Ofsted reforms & apprenticeship cuts are all a disaster.
-But the Education Secretary is spending her time not on this, but a briefing war with No.10 to try keep her job.
Sad state of affairs
May 7, 2025 at 9:17 AM
-Nurseries, schools and colleges are in financial meltdown thanks to Labour's tax raid.
-The Schools Bill, Ofsted reforms & apprenticeship cuts are all a disaster.
-But the Education Secretary is spending her time not on this, but a briefing war with No.10 to try keep her job.
Sad state of affairs
-The Schools Bill, Ofsted reforms & apprenticeship cuts are all a disaster.
-But the Education Secretary is spending her time not on this, but a briefing war with No.10 to try keep her job.
Sad state of affairs
The current government see the answer as intervention from the centre. People appointed by DFE ‘RISE’ teams will go in to “stuck schools” and give advice. This idea has been tried multiple times in various ways, but this isn't how real improvement works: (4/5)
April 8, 2025 at 11:19 AM
The current government see the answer as intervention from the centre. People appointed by DFE ‘RISE’ teams will go in to “stuck schools” and give advice. This idea has been tried multiple times in various ways, but this isn't how real improvement works: (4/5)
There's much more to do to catch up with school systems in Asia, where they simultaneously have very high average achievement and very few not gaining the basics.
But things in England are radically better than in Wales where the reforms of 1988-2024 were blocked (3/5)
But things in England are radically better than in Wales where the reforms of 1988-2024 were blocked (3/5)
April 8, 2025 at 11:19 AM
There's much more to do to catch up with school systems in Asia, where they simultaneously have very high average achievement and very few not gaining the basics.
But things in England are radically better than in Wales where the reforms of 1988-2024 were blocked (3/5)
But things in England are radically better than in Wales where the reforms of 1988-2024 were blocked (3/5)
My new piece looks at school improvement and income.
Over the period 2010-2024 the biggest gains were in the bottom half of the income distribution - but particularly in IDACI deciles 2 to 5.
(🧵... 1/5)
Over the period 2010-2024 the biggest gains were in the bottom half of the income distribution - but particularly in IDACI deciles 2 to 5.
(🧵... 1/5)
April 8, 2025 at 11:19 AM
My new piece looks at school improvement and income.
Over the period 2010-2024 the biggest gains were in the bottom half of the income distribution - but particularly in IDACI deciles 2 to 5.
(🧵... 1/5)
Over the period 2010-2024 the biggest gains were in the bottom half of the income distribution - but particularly in IDACI deciles 2 to 5.
(🧵... 1/5)
It's wild that a notionally social democratic government has focussed its main tax rise on... low income workers
April 2, 2025 at 12:23 PM
It's wild that a notionally social democratic government has focussed its main tax rise on... low income workers
The NI increase kicks in at the end of this week.
OBR say 76% is passed through into lower wages.
So someone on £13k loses £500.
Someone on £9K loses 5% of their income.
Amazing that a left wing government has gone with a tax increase that's laser-targetted on low paid workers.
OBR say 76% is passed through into lower wages.
So someone on £13k loses £500.
Someone on £9K loses 5% of their income.
Amazing that a left wing government has gone with a tax increase that's laser-targetted on low paid workers.
April 1, 2025 at 12:17 PM
The NI increase kicks in at the end of this week.
OBR say 76% is passed through into lower wages.
So someone on £13k loses £500.
Someone on £9K loses 5% of their income.
Amazing that a left wing government has gone with a tax increase that's laser-targetted on low paid workers.
OBR say 76% is passed through into lower wages.
So someone on £13k loses £500.
Someone on £9K loses 5% of their income.
Amazing that a left wing government has gone with a tax increase that's laser-targetted on low paid workers.
Got a bit lost in Spring Statement Week, but this story isn't going away - DFE are expected to find some more money but not clear whether it will be enough.
March 28, 2025 at 12:59 PM
Got a bit lost in Spring Statement Week, but this story isn't going away - DFE are expected to find some more money but not clear whether it will be enough.
All these debates about slavery 200 years ago and yet
March 24, 2025 at 10:15 PM
All these debates about slavery 200 years ago and yet
Bridget Phillipson says the many critics of the disastrous Schools Bill need to "get out of London".
OK, lets look at Wales, where Labour have been in charge for decades.
Oh.
OK, lets look at Wales, where Labour have been in charge for decades.
Oh.
March 18, 2025 at 8:21 AM
Bridget Phillipson says the many critics of the disastrous Schools Bill need to "get out of London".
OK, lets look at Wales, where Labour have been in charge for decades.
Oh.
OK, lets look at Wales, where Labour have been in charge for decades.
Oh.
There is just so much concern in the profession about the disastrous Schools Bill - when will DfE listen?
March 17, 2025 at 7:15 AM
There is just so much concern in the profession about the disastrous Schools Bill - when will DfE listen?
Combat the doomy global outlook with the unhinged positivity of these Harborough-based donuts
March 4, 2025 at 12:01 PM
Combat the doomy global outlook with the unhinged positivity of these Harborough-based donuts