Just a few things to bear in mind regarding the forthcoming fight between the government and the teaching unions. I’m going to try to keep to objective facts. THREAD:

We have a Conservative government, and whatever you think of the Conservative Party, I think it’s fairly uncontroversial to say that it has always believed in low taxes, free markets, a small state, and lower public spending.

Whatever you might think of trade unions, the teaching unions- and unions generally- it’s fairly uncontroversial to say that unions are collectives of workers who act together to protect and/or improve pay, conditions and levels of health and safety.

Clearly, there are competing interests here. The Conservative government want to reopen schools because low taxes, free markets, a small state, and lower public spending aren’t likely while the state is paying workers to stay home and save lives.

The teaching unions don’t want the schools to reopen because it’s clearly not safe for their members, their members’ families, or for pupils.

So please keep all of this in mind when the inevitable media assault on the unions begins again. This is not about ‘the national interest’. It’s about competing interests.

It’s about the interests of those who benefit from low taxes, free markets, a small state, and lower public spending, set against the interests of education workers- teachers, teaching assistants, lunchtime supervisors, cleaners, caretakers etc.

Please feel free to share this.