Wednesday, November 24, 2010

How Dumb Is This Coalition Government?

Is This man Fit Enough To Decide
Our Chldren's Education?
The coalition government have decided in their lunacy to scrap School Sports Funding, having already scrapped free swimming for our senior citizens and youngsters, obviously keeping people fitter, healthier and more active throughout their lives is not deemed important. It is an extremely shortsighted decision, healthier fitter people tend not to smoke, not to take drugs and are less likely to be obese, or become obese, ultimately, in the long term this would prove far more beneficial to the national purse than saving this money now. The "Con-Dem" government appear to know the price of everything and the value of nothing and even more alarming, they seem devoid of rational and logical thinking and have no idea of the effects their short term savings are going to have on the long term health of the nation and on public services.

This decision to scrap the £162 million PE and Sports Strategy is so ridiculous that questions should be asked of the people who made it, as to their suitability for high office. I believe this one decision alone will prove to be one of the biggest monumental blunders of this crazy government, it is right up there with the unprecedented gamble with the economy that Cameron, Clegg and Osborne are taking with all our livelihoods and all our children's futures.
Fitter, healthier children learn better in school, children that train for sports are more disciplined, sport teaches discipline.
If Cameron is serious about the "Big Society" then where does this latest piece of sheer stupidity fit in?

Labour MP Ian Austin blasted: "Parents and coaches across the country will be appalled to see the damage David Cameron is about to do to youth sport. David Cameron might not value sport, but parents know it teaches kids crucial lessons about discipline, teamwork and how to compete in the right spirit, that hard work and training bring results."

This decision has been condemned by a whole list of sports personalities and the list is growing longer each day.

How does this fit in with Britain staging the Olympics in 2012? How will this decision do anything to help discover our future gymnasts and athletes?

The Observer Says:  Since SSPs became operational, the number of children involved in inter-school competition has increased by 1.63 million; the number involved in competition within schools has increased by 1.15 million. There have also been increases in the numbers of children volunteering in sports activities outside school. Under Labour, the proportion of children in state schools fulfilling the curriculum requirement of at least two hours' PE per week increased from 25% to 95%

Meanwhile, schools that specialised in sport show higher than average improvements in other fields. The ancient wisdom that a healthy body promotes a healthy mind is borne out by the data. Besides, healthy bodies – especially young ones – are a public policy goal in their own right. So are the social benefits of giving teenagers something worthwhile to do with their time. Not surprisingly, the Department of Health is reported to be unhappy with the cut. Other senior ministers are hardly overjoyed.

What was an excellent world cup bid is now floundering, mainly  because of the interference of this government's right wing friends in the press and their proclivity to use entrapment and sensationalist headlines. "Coincidentally" yesterday amid the furore surrounding this government's intention to completely axe the sports funding for schools, David Cameron's office announced he will be flying to Zurich to lobby for our World Cup bid. I have the feeling he is only doing this because Blair did something similar and was thought to be a key role in securing the 2012 Olympics, unfortunately David Cameron is no Tony Blair and where undeniably Blair was a true statesman, David Cameron is sorely lacking. While he is lobbying, Cameron may like to ask himself where this country's future world class footballers will come from?

Should we be surprised at this move from a government that has asked McDonalds and Pepsicola about our food strategy?

Should we be surprised at this move from a government that has abolished the Food Standards Agency,  and has caved in to big business.

The bottom line is, if schools wish to continue with this sports partnership then they will have to divert funds from existing budgets, each day we are discovering that this coalition government is devious and duplicitous and totally disingenuous.

At this rate there will be no children fit or interested enough to take part in this "Schools Olympics" to run alongside the 2012 Olympics which will cost £10 million, I can't help feeling that this government knew what they were going to do when they announced this policy, which is why they were so generous, as I said, profoundly devious, duplicitous and disinigenuous.

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