Ed Miliband addresses elitism in education
I'm just like you' is the message from Labour Leader, Ed Miliband today as he addresses his party faithful at the autumn conference in Manchester later. He wants to emphasise that he's somehow more in touch with the general public as opposed to the Prime Minister, because he's had a comprehensive school education, whereas we all know that David Cameron went to Eton.
Not sure how well that will go down, but what's being seen as a side swipe at the Coalition government over tuition fees and an elitist education system might well go down much better. Mr Miliband will unveil proposals for a new qualification for the 'forgotten 50%' of young people in England who want to work instead of going to University. Called the 'technical baccalaureate', he'd like it to have as a high status as a degree. He's also keen to reform apprenticeship schemes. But the Tories reckon he's just playing 'catch up' on this issue.
It's also likely to be a very personal speech for the Labour leader - the 3<sup>rd since he's headed up the party: he'll recount the story of who he grew up as the son of Jewish refugees who fled the Nazis.