IT IS SOMEWHAT ironic that within hours of the publication of the Stroud MP’s column on the forced academisation of our schools that the Government produced a major U-turn.

Clearly they did not think it worthwhile to inform him of the change.

and so made him look both foolish and out of touch at the same time.

Can I remind him that it is the role of select committees and particularly the chairman, to scrutinise current proposals and hold the Government to account.

This is especially true when the chairman (in this case he is the chairman of the education committee) is of the same political persuasion as the Government of the day.

I can only presume that he has been asleep at the wheel during the debates on this issue though given his recent speech on this matter it has been more of a car crash waiting to happen.

David Drew

Stonehouse