35. Tony Blair's thinking on education developed during his time in office. He ended up as a strong advocate of the key education reform principles of choice for parents and freedom on management for school leaders. In his foreword to the 2005 Education White Paper, he praised the school choice systems of Sweden and Florida, which allow parents to spend the money put aside for their children's education in privately as well as publicly run schools.24
36. Ed Balls took an opposite view in his initial statement. He criticized Michael Gove, the new Shadow Secretary of State, for his previous support for school choice.25 He concluded: "I want consensus, but there will be no consensus on the Labour Benches on the case for school vouchers." 26
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24 Blair, T. (2005) Foreword to the Education White Paper, Higher Standards, Better Schools For All, Department for Education. "Many other countries have successful experience with school choice. There is increasing international evidence that school choice systems can maintain high levels of equity and improve standards. Swedish parents can choose an alternative school to their local one, including a diverse range of state-funded independent schools. Studies have found that schools in areas where there is more choice have improved most rapidly. In Florida, parents can choose an alternative school if their school has 'failed' in two of the last four years. Again, studies showed test scores improved fastest where schools knew children were free to go elsewhere."
25 Balls, E. (2007), Hansard, 10 July, col. 1326. "I am very keen to debate education policy with the hon. Gentleman. I have been looking back at some of the contributions that he has made in recent years. Let me give one example from The Times, where he wrote: 'Every parent in Britain should be given a scholarship for their child, worth broadly the amount currently wasted by the State on their schooling. This scholarship could then be used to buy a place at schools, which would have to compete for parents' money just as vigorously as airlines now compete for their holiday custom.'"
26 Ibid.