Education Department Blocks Release of Phillipson’s Secret Meetings With Union Bosses – Guido Fawkes

Education Department Blocks Release of Phillipson’s Secret Meetings With Union Bosses

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Co-conspirators may remember Guido’s revelations with regard to the numerous meetings Bridget Phillipson held with union bosses since coming to power. Those cosy meetings consisted of mutual backslapping and thanks given to the education secretary. The department not so keen on releasing the latest batch…

Guido’s FoI Unit replicated the request which generated the previous transcripts – this time it has been blocked. The department says:

“The exemption exists to protect confidential, sensitive policy discussions between the Secretary of State and the stakeholders listed… Without protecting the thinking space and the ability for Ministers, senior officials and stakeholders to have free and frank discussions on policy, there is likely to be a corrosive effect on the conduct of good government, with a risk that decision making will become poorer and will be recorded inadequately.”

This means Bridget has been enjoying secret discussions with Daniel Kebede (NEU), Paul Whiteman (NAHT), and Matt Wrack (NASUWT), the contents of which the department now says should be kept secret, despite releasing them before. A 4% pay award was handed out to teacher two weeks ago while Phillipson takes negotiations with the Treasury down to the wire over the spending review. Much to discuss with sympathetic union chiefs…