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Dominic Raab 'more rightwing on education than Thatcher' Dominic Raab 'more rightwing on education than Thatcher'
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Tory leadership hopeful Dominic Raab has been described as more rightwing than Margaret Thatcher over his proposal to let state schools be run by profit-making companiesTory leadership hopeful Dominic Raab has been described as more rightwing than Margaret Thatcher over his proposal to let state schools be run by profit-making companies
Raab, who is second favourite in the race to be the next prime minister, made the case for privately run state schools in 2013 and again in 2014, saying the government should open up the education system for companies to make money.Raab, who is second favourite in the race to be the next prime minister, made the case for privately run state schools in 2013 and again in 2014, saying the government should open up the education system for companies to make money.
The idea is one of a number of rightwing proposals put forward by Raab in pamphlets over the years. The former Brexit secretary has also suggested encouraging more private companies into the NHS by giving them tax breaks or paying them premiums, and scrapping the 45% top rate of income tax, instead having a basic rate at 15% and a higher rate at 35%.The idea is one of a number of rightwing proposals put forward by Raab in pamphlets over the years. The former Brexit secretary has also suggested encouraging more private companies into the NHS by giving them tax breaks or paying them premiums, and scrapping the 45% top rate of income tax, instead having a basic rate at 15% and a higher rate at 35%.
Tory leadership contest latest odds tracker: who's up and who's down?Tory leadership contest latest odds tracker: who's up and who's down?
Asked whether Raab still endorsed the idea of letting companies run state schools, his spokesman did not rule out the proposal, saying: “Dominic has set out his priorities to fight for a fairer Britain – a fairer deal for workers by cutting taxes for those on low and middle incomes, a fairer society by boosting apprenticeships and getting a fairer deal from Brussels.”Asked whether Raab still endorsed the idea of letting companies run state schools, his spokesman did not rule out the proposal, saying: “Dominic has set out his priorities to fight for a fairer Britain – a fairer deal for workers by cutting taxes for those on low and middle incomes, a fairer society by boosting apprenticeships and getting a fairer deal from Brussels.”
In his 2013 paper Capitalism for the Little Guy, Raab suggested the government should “lift the bar on profit-making companies running academies and free schools”, subject to a minimum of 50% of profits being reinvested into the school. At present academies and free schools cannot be run for profit.In his 2013 paper Capitalism for the Little Guy, Raab suggested the government should “lift the bar on profit-making companies running academies and free schools”, subject to a minimum of 50% of profits being reinvested into the school. At present academies and free schools cannot be run for profit.
Raab wrote that opening up schools to profit-making companies could help to raise capital investment for education at a time when funding from central government was under pressure, arguing that such a move would help raise standards.Raab wrote that opening up schools to profit-making companies could help to raise capital investment for education at a time when funding from central government was under pressure, arguing that such a move would help raise standards.
He acknowledged there was an “understandable sensitivity of introducing the profit motive into schooling”, suggesting that as well as the 50% profit limit on, dividends should only be paid if educational performance standards were met and that there should be a bar on the sale for commercial gain of school assets purchased with public money.He acknowledged there was an “understandable sensitivity of introducing the profit motive into schooling”, suggesting that as well as the 50% profit limit on, dividends should only be paid if educational performance standards were met and that there should be a bar on the sale for commercial gain of school assets purchased with public money.
However, Labour called on Raab to say he would not implement the policy as prime minister and demanded that the education secretary, Damian Hinds, and the other leadership candidates also ruled out such a move.However, Labour called on Raab to say he would not implement the policy as prime minister and demanded that the education secretary, Damian Hinds, and the other leadership candidates also ruled out such a move.
Angela Rayner, the shadow education secretary, said: “The Conservatives have already done enough damage to our schools but even Margaret Thatcher didn’t dare to privatise them.“Education should be a right, not a commodity to be bought and sold. The Tories have absolutely no mandate for policies like this.”Angela Rayner, the shadow education secretary, said: “The Conservatives have already done enough damage to our schools but even Margaret Thatcher didn’t dare to privatise them.“Education should be a right, not a commodity to be bought and sold. The Tories have absolutely no mandate for policies like this.”
Labour MP Jess Phillips, who has been fighting against school funding cuts, added: “It’s an absolute total and utter nonsense to let the market decide what is best for our children. The children that get left behind will not be profitable.Labour MP Jess Phillips, who has been fighting against school funding cuts, added: “It’s an absolute total and utter nonsense to let the market decide what is best for our children. The children that get left behind will not be profitable.
“Disabled children, kids with special educational needs, kids from domestic violence backgrounds, who struggle to fit into the system we created will not make the largest profit. Just introduce him to [former justice secretary] Chris Grayling and ask him how well the whole probation privatisation went.”“Disabled children, kids with special educational needs, kids from domestic violence backgrounds, who struggle to fit into the system we created will not make the largest profit. Just introduce him to [former justice secretary] Chris Grayling and ask him how well the whole probation privatisation went.”
Raab has quickly become one of the favourites in the leadership race, having taken a tough line on the UK leaving the EU at the end of October regardless of whether a deal has been approved.Raab has quickly become one of the favourites in the leadership race, having taken a tough line on the UK leaving the EU at the end of October regardless of whether a deal has been approved.
The environment secretary’s campaign plan was knocked off course by revelations about drug-taking. The environment secretary’s campaign plan was knocked off course by revelations about drug-taking. He has sought to regain his place as the leading ‘Stop Boris’ with a series of policy pledges.
He has sought to regain his place as the leading ‘Stop Boris’ with a series of policy pledges, from a new social insurance to pay for social care, to changing human rights law to prevent service personnel being pursued over historical crimes. He has better Brexiter credentials than Hunt, is liked by the moderate wing of the party, and is a better orator than almost any other candidate. Gove has privately reassured colleagues over recent months that he understands the devastating consequences of a no-deal Brexit, not least for his own environment department.
He has played up his senior role in the Vote Leave campaign, saying he had ‘led from the front’ because he believed it was ‘the right thing to do, at a critical moment in our history’. He has also stressed his background as a reformer, and promised to boost education funding and tackle social care funding – all pitches that could appeal to Stewartites, potentially enabling Gove to overtake Jeremy Hunt. 
On Brexit he has publicly discussed the idea of extending the Brexit deadline slightly beyond 31 October, if needed to finalise a deal. Has not completely ruled out a no-deal Brexit.
He received 37 votes in the first round, 41 in the second, and 51 in the third round, placing him third each time.He received 37 votes in the first round, 41 in the second, and 51 in the third round, placing him third each time.
The foreign secretary has made the case that he is the most serious and experienced would-be leader, in an apparent rebuke to his main rival, Boris Johnson.  Hunt’s team called his showing on Wednesday a 'fantastic result'. It was, in the sense that he avoided being overtaken by Gove, and that he picked up an extra eight votes from Tuesday’s showing of 46.
On Brexit he believes a new deal is possible by 31 October, and would send a new, cross-party negotiating team to Brussels. Would countenance leaving EU without a deal, but has warned that could lead to a confidence vote and potentially an election. But there is no doubt that after three rounds of voting Hunt would have hoped to be the obvious challenger to Johnson, whereas he was only narrowly ahead of Gove, with just three votes in it.
Hunt’s problem is he is seen as the continuity candidate, the safe pair of hands, when colleagues are starting to see the attraction of a new style.  The foreign secretary’s team are conscious that he risks appearing middle-of-the-road, with his rivals dismissing him as 'continuity May', or worse, Theresa in trousers, or 'Tit' for short.
He received 43 votes in the first round and 46 votes in the second round. He continued to be in second place in the third round with 54 votes.He received 43 votes in the first round and 46 votes in the second round. He continued to be in second place in the third round with 54 votes.
Javid struggled to define himself in the first days of the campaign, not a fresh face, not a safe pair of hands, or a true Brexit believer. But his campaign picked up, with the endorsement of popular Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson, a polished leadership video telling the moving story of his background, and a lively launch speech. It was still only enough to place him fifth, though. Before his punchy performance in Tuesday’s debate Javid appeared vulnerable, with some allies fearing that he could be overtaken by Stewart, whose off-the-wall campaign style had helped him to remain in contention.
On Brexit, Javid says he wants to leave with a deal, but has talked down the idea of another extension and would be prepared to opt for no deal. But Javid scored one of the few clear victories amid the cacophony in the BBC studio, bouncing his four colleagues into promising an independent inquiry into Islamophobia in their party – a promise the winner will now be held to.
He is expected to make a new push to define himself as the change candidate who can talk to Tory voters in new places – though he may also be tempted to drop out to tuck in behind one of the frontrunners. It is hard to see how he could make it into the final two from this position. His campaign team professed themselves delighted with the result, and will now turn their attention to trying to win over Stewart’s backers, by stressing Javid’s liberal credentials.
However, one moderate former Tory minister, who had backed Javid in the first round because of personal loyalty, said: “I like him, but I can’t support him because I don’t agree with his politics – he’s a Thatcherite.”
He received 23 votes in the first round, 33 votes in the second, and 38 in the third.He received 23 votes in the first round, 33 votes in the second, and 38 in the third.
The former foreign secretary already has enough support to progress through to the members’ ballot. All Johnson needs to do is sit tight, keep his MPs sweet and try not to ruin it for himself. He has kept a low profile in the media and stayed in the tearooms and in his office, methodically talking round colleagues. His team know that one negative news cycle because of an off-guard comment could see his star plummet – and Johnson is more prone to those than most. Johnson’s progress to Downing Street appeared unstoppable even before last week’s first round of voting among MPs, and most of his colleagues believe it is now all but inevitable that he will be Britain’s next prime minister.
On Brexit he has promised the UK will leave the EU on 31 October, come what may, even without a deal if a new agreement cannot be reached in time. His well-disciplined campaign team will continue with their strategy of subjecting him to minimal media exposure, though once the field is narrowed down to two, the final pair will appear in more than a dozen head-to-head hustings for Tory members. The team’s main aim is simply to keep heads down and avoid Johnson creating headlines for the wrong reasons.
Johnson won the first round with 114 votes, and the second round with 126 votes. He won the third round with 143 votes.Johnson won the first round with 114 votes, and the second round with 126 votes. He won the third round with 143 votes.
However, he has also written extensively about his domestic policy ideas over the years. He has proposed scrapping all “levies subsidising green technologies” on energy bills, ending the minimum wage for the under-21s working for small businesses and making it easier for companies to sack underperforming employees.However, he has also written extensively about his domestic policy ideas over the years. He has proposed scrapping all “levies subsidising green technologies” on energy bills, ending the minimum wage for the under-21s working for small businesses and making it easier for companies to sack underperforming employees.
The MP for Esher and Walton has also spoken of wanting to scrap the Government Equalities Office, which he describes as “pointless”, and merging the Department for International Development into the Foreign Office.The MP for Esher and Walton has also spoken of wanting to scrap the Government Equalities Office, which he describes as “pointless”, and merging the Department for International Development into the Foreign Office.
When Raab was challenged at the weekend over his claim from 2011 that feminists were some of the most obnoxious bigots and that men were getting a raw deal, he appeared to stand by the position.When Raab was challenged at the weekend over his claim from 2011 that feminists were some of the most obnoxious bigots and that men were getting a raw deal, he appeared to stand by the position.
On the BBC One’s The Andrew Marr Show, he said: “[It is] really important that in the debate on equality we have a consistency and not double standards and hypocrisy.”On the BBC One’s The Andrew Marr Show, he said: “[It is] really important that in the debate on equality we have a consistency and not double standards and hypocrisy.”
Pressed by ITV on Wednesday on whether he would describe himself as a feminist, Raab said: “No, probably not. But I would describe myself as someone who’s a champion of equality and meritocracy.”Pressed by ITV on Wednesday on whether he would describe himself as a feminist, Raab said: “No, probably not. But I would describe myself as someone who’s a champion of equality and meritocracy.”
Dominic RaabDominic Raab
Conservative leadershipConservative leadership
Education policyEducation policy
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