Lord Heseltine's Schools' Army

Lord Heseltine was bemused to hear Evan Davis remark on the Today Programme "nice to have you back", as if the noble Tory had been politically recuperating somewhere. I think Heseltine looks far better now than when he was last in office, if "in office" is the right expression. He's raring to go, all enthusiastic and is up to his whatsits with new ideas.

One is the recruiting of retired army officers to provide school discipline for failing schools. Described as "shock tactics" by some, Lord Heseltine does not mince his words. He says that Michael Gove is doing some good things, but that if he was in charge he'd start at the other end of the spectrum. "I think the head teachers in the 100 worst sink schools in this country would have got a letter from me, or from the local council via me, which said - You've got six months and if there's no change in the way that this school is being appallingly mismanaged, your job is on the line." So enter the idea of retired army officers giving their marching orders. No drill sergeants here!

He says "boys who have had no male in their lives to give them any sense of discipline or adventure" need leadership. The thing is he got somewhat of a different message when he was in office under Margaret Thatcher. She was the political female in his life and it gave him little sense of discipline but an extraordinary sense of adventure.

We'll have to see if any retired army officers get the call.

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