Mine was in Brockley, it didn't last for too long after I started, which was a pity as it gave a lot of 'lower/working class' kids a great opportunity.

Making more grammar schools is one of the few things I agree with the Conservatives about (just not single sex - as it costs a fortune to have the curtains cleaned).

'Lies to the masses as are like fly's to mollasses...they want more and more and more'

Not sure about elsewhere but my school was packed with kids from working class families. My dad received a grant for uniform and I got a free bus pass as I lived far enough away in Sydenham. I must admit I tried for Alleyns and there were questions in French...I had never been taught French, but I think that was a fee paying public school in those days.

'Lies to the masses as are like fly's to mollasses...they want more and more and more'

Yep, the concept isn't a bad idea, the practice not so great....well great if you're middle class.

'Who are you and how did you get in here? I'm a locksmith. And, I'm a locksmith.' (Leslie Nielsen)

What alarms me about this reshuffle is the apparent hope May is putting in young/fresh faces invigorating her government.

This is disingenuous because they, like all decent governments, need a vision and plan that can be summed up in one sentence.

At the moment they are veering to the left and promoting a hotch-patch of policies which pleases no one and is intellectually devoid.

In a period of time when the opposition is promoting regressive policies which have been proven to fail and lurch Britain into crisis, a Tory government promoting individual liberty, choice, self sufficiency, self respect, family values, meritocracy, entrepreneurship, small business, traditional education, law & order, small government and a vision for a post Brexit Britain, rather than the meaningless ‘jobs first Brexit’ of the opposition, would romp ahead in the polls. If the people really wanted Corbyn, he would be twenty points ahead in the polls at the moment but is far from that.

However, such an agenda takes balls and a leader with charisma. May has neither of those.

At a time when Brexit offers us so much opportunity, we need more from a Tory government.

"That was fun and to round off the day, I am off to steal a charity collection box and then desecrate a place of worship.” - Smokey, The Selhurst Arms, 26/02/02

Which of these policies you refer to are proven to fail? And where is said proof?

I suggest you look at the last 7 years of policies proven to fail and hope that we do something else. See Portugal for example.

USA, FDR's new deal until Raegan came along with his monetarism and union busting.

If you think the policies are the same now as 70s you're hugely mistaken. Also the basic fundamentals are the same just need to be properly implemented. No politicising of services or control held too much by ministers. There are lots of new and well tested ways of running public services and investment that achieve lower inequality and higher productivity that weren't tried in the 70s. You can learn lessons from places like Portugal whatever you might think.