IN his interview with The Northern Echo following the announcement that he is to stand down as Darlington MP, Alan Milburn had a word of advice for Gordon Brown.

The Blairite former Health Secretary said Labour’s chances of winning a fourth term depended on the Brown Government producing clear and compelling new ideas capable of appealing to the majority.

The problem, of course, is that it is much easier for political leaders to come up with clear and compelling ideas when their parties have been in opposition for years, than it is after a decade in power.

Tony Blair was able to present “education, education, education” as his big electoral theme from the backdrop of Labour’s 18 years in opposition and make it clear and compelling.

When Schools Secretary Ed Balls unveiled his education White Paper yesterday, it was met with the usual refrain from the Tories that old policies are being recycled, with new gimmicks underlining the failings of the past ten years.

It is our view that, on balance, the Blair administration did well by schools. Evidence of investment in new school buildings is plentiful and standards have risen.

But memories are short and past achievements are not enough.

Yesterday’s White Paper, focusing on the need to crack down on weak teachers and promising more personal tuition, has a familiar ring to it.

Why haven’t weak teachers been rooted out over the past decade, without the need to introduce “licences to teach” which are reviewed every five years?

It smacks of a long-term failure of management.