Tony Benn’s 5 questions
Intellectual self-defence in uncertain times
Those of you who frequent Twitter and other social media can’t help to have noticed the emergence of various interest groups that are here to advise the government. From “think tanks” to “edtech accelerators” to “sacrificial tsars” there’s been a noticeable glimpse behind the curtain of reality.
In the UK, post-EU referendum (#brexit) and, to a lesser extent, post-London Mayor and local council elections there will be a shuffle of people taking key positions within the presiding administration. It will be interesting to see the revolving door between these unelected “advisory” bodies and key government posts. Nicholas Boles, UK Minister of State for Skills, will no doubt be shown new pastures and Nicky Morgan, the beleaguered Secretary of State for Education, will be replaced. Having pulled the Overton Window so far to the right in regard to the forced privatisation of state education it’s only fair that they are rewarded. After all, there have been peerages.
Thus I am indebted to Steve Watson, fellow of Wolfson College, lecturer in maths education, for reminding me of the late Tony Benn’s 5 powerful questions in the face of such interest groups
What power have you got?
Where did you get it from?
In whose interests do you exercise it?
To whom are you accountable
How can we get rid of you?
I think that these questions are relevant to maintain a functioning democracy given the tensions within the UK currently as well as elsewhere in the world and we should be prepared to ask them.
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An entertaining & thought provoking slayer of sacred cows, Graham Brown-Martin works globally with senior leadership teams to help organisations adapt in the face of rapid change & innovation. By challenging entrenched thinking he liberates teams to think in new ways to solve complex challenges. His book Learning {Re}imagined is published by Bloomsbury and he is represented for speaking engagements via Wendy Morris at the London Speakers Bureau.
