Uppal's been acting as voting fodder again, specifically helping to ram through the anti-democratic Academy Schools bill.
He voted yes:
to the proposal that the most radical and wide-ranging education legislation in 60 years be rushed through both Houses in 3 days - to cut down on embarrassing debate.
He voted against amendments to:
make schools consult parents, pupils, teachers and local authorities to work out what the effect on social cohesion might be in taking schools out of community hands;
make schools stick to the Code of Admissions (i.e. not become discriminatory/selective);
make schools institute compulsory 'personal, health and social education' classes
make schools hold a referendum of pupils' parents before becoming academies: apparently it doesn't matter what parents think.
He also voted against a rule that an extra school be opened only if there's a shortage of places, so that existing schools don't suffer financially if some loony wants to open their own place.
He also voted to abolish Child Trust Funds, one of Labour's great anti-poverty measures.
What an arse.
So much for the Big Society! Farewell local democracy! There's money in the air, and it's not for you, peasants.
I despair.
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