Shropshire Star

Star comment: Flaw found in May’s masterplan

Theresa May's master plan, to have a general election devoted to the issue of Brexit and who should lead the country in the negotiations with the EU, has a flaw.

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Theresa May

It is that however important that issue is, very quickly there is nothing new to be said, and it is impossible to keep it top of the campaigning agenda day after day, week after week, because the electorate would become bored stiff.

And quite naturally the opposition parties want to raise other matters, the traditional battlegrounds of election campaigns.

Such as education, for instance.

Both Labour and the Liberal Democrats have promised to pump billions extra into education. Promising to provide extra funding for education is never going to be unpopular. Here the opposition parties have the inherent advantage which comes from being in opposition. They can make "offers" which look attractive and promise to raise the extra money through methods which look virtually painless.

Whether the sums actually add up is a different matter.

The Lib Dems, for instance, say part of their £7 billion extra will come from their policy of staying in the European single market - a figure it is surely impossible to calculate.

Education funding is a massive issue in Shropshire, both for councils and local MPs. For many years the complaint has been that this county has been particularly disadvantaged, and is in effect financially penalised for being a largely rural county, which in turn means Shropshire's children are getting proportionately less.

It is a key concern for teachers doing their best on the educational front line, and parents who want the best for their children.

Having been in power for seven years, the Tories have nowhere to hide. It is happening on their watch. The Prime Minister is saying she will look in to it, while the other parties are saying they will sort it out.

Mrs May says "people have accepted for years now that the current formula is unfair," a comment which offers hope to those looking for something to be done.

Whether the Conservatives or Labour win the general election - the Lib Dems' aim is no higher than to be the strongest opposition party - the voters will remember their pledges and will be looking for them to be followed through with action.

All too often politicians say things during election campaigns which are quietly forgotten if they achieve their objective of winning.

For the sake of Shropshire's children, we shall not forget what they say, and will hold them to their education funding commitments.