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Prince Charles lobbied government on grammar schools, says David Blunkett Prince Charles lobbied for more grammar schools, says David Blunkett
(about 4 hours later)
Prince Charles lobbied Tony Blair's government to expand grammar schools, also exerting pressure over issues including GM food and alternative medicines, according to interviews with ex-ministers collected for a BBC documentary on the prince's political activism.Prince Charles lobbied Tony Blair's government to expand grammar schools, also exerting pressure over issues including GM food and alternative medicines, according to interviews with ex-ministers collected for a BBC documentary on the prince's political activism.
Charles openly tried to change the mind of the then education secretary, David Blunkett, on grammar schools, Blunkett told The Royal Activist, a Radio 4 programme being broadcast on Sunday. The prince openly tried to change the mind of the then education secretary, David Blunkett, on grammar schools, Blunkett told The Royal Activist, a Radio 4 programme broadcast on Sunday.
"I would explain that our policy was not to expand grammar schools, and he didn't like that," Blunkett, who held the post from 1997 to 2001, told the programme, according to quotes from the programme run by BBC News. "He was very keen that we should go back to a different era where youngsters had what he would have seen as the opportunity to escape from their background, whereas I wanted to change their background." "I would explain that our policy was not to expand grammar schools, and he didn't like that," said Blunkett, who held the post from 1997 to 2001. "He was very keen that we should go back to a different era where youngsters had what he would have seen as the opportunity to escape from their background, whereas I wanted to change their background."
Blunkett said that while he disagreed with the prince's views he was not personally uncomfortable with the lobbying. "I can see constitutionally that there's an argument that the heir to the throne should not get involved in controversy; the honest truth is I didn't mind," he told the programme. "If you are waiting to be the king of the United Kingdom, and you have waited a very long time, you genuinely have to engage with something or you would go spare." Blunkett said that while he disagreed with the prince's views he was not personally uncomfortable with the lobbying.
However, the revelations that Charles tried openly to influence policy in several areas will again alarm some constitutional groups, who warn that a future monarch cannot afford to be so openly partisan. Graham Smith, chief executive of the pressure group Republic, told the documentary it was "completely unacceptable in a democratic society" for unelected royals to seek to affect government policy. "I can see constitutionally that there's an argument that the heir to the throne should not get involved in controversy – the honest truth is I didn't mind," he told the programme. "If you are waiting to be the king of the United Kingdom, and you have waited a very long time, you genuinely have to engage with something or you would go spare."
Charles's apparent efforts to influence government have been the focus of a nine-year freedom of information battle in which the Guardian has sought access to the prince's private letters to ministers, known as the "black-spider memos" because of his scrawled handwriting. However, the revelations that the prince tried openly to influence policy in several areas will again alarm some constitutional groups, who warn that a future monarch cannot afford to be so openly partisan.
In March, three senior judges ruled that the attorney general, Dominic Grieve, acted unlawfully when he blocked access to the letters, arguing that they could cause constitutional problems by casting doubt on the future monarch's political neutrality. Graham Smith, chief executive of the pressure group Republic, told the documentary it was "completely unacceptable in a democratic society" for unelected royals to seek to affect government policy.
According to the BBC documentary, some ministers welcomed the prince's efforts. Michael Meacher, the former environment minister, said he and Charles "would consort together quietly" to try to influence policy on climate change and in opposition to genetically modified foods. The prince's apparent efforts to influence government have been the focus of a nine-year freedom of information battle in which the Guardian has sought access to his private letters to ministers, known as the "black-spider memos" because of his scrawled handwriting.
In March, three senior judges ruled that the attorney general, Dominic Grieve, acted unlawfully when he blocked access to the letters, arguing they could cause constitutional problems by casting doubt on the prince's political neutrality.
Paul Flynn, a Labour member of the House of Commons political and constitutional reform committee, said the prince's intervention meant the country was heading for a "constitutional crisis" as he was unlikely to give up his role as Britain's most successful lobbyist when king. "It could cause a big confrontation between the monarchy and parliament unless this is sorted out," the MP said.
Ministers should not have let themselves be swayed by the prejudices of an "old-fashioned billionaire farmer", he added.
Sources said the Department for Education had not been lobbied by the prince about grammar schools or any other topic under the coalition.
According to the BBC documentary, some ministers welcomed the prince's efforts. Michael Meacher, the former environment minister, said he and Prince Charles "would consort together quietly" to try to influence policy on climate change and in opposition to GM foods.
Meacher said: "I knew that he largely agreed with me and he knew that I largely agreed with him. We were together in trying to persuade Tony Blair to change course." He conceded that there were constitutional difficulties with this: "Well, over GM I suppose you could well say that. Maybe he was pushing it a bit. I was delighted, of course."Meacher said: "I knew that he largely agreed with me and he knew that I largely agreed with him. We were together in trying to persuade Tony Blair to change course." He conceded that there were constitutional difficulties with this: "Well, over GM I suppose you could well say that. Maybe he was pushing it a bit. I was delighted, of course."
The programme also heard that Charles shared his interest in complementary medicines with Peter Hain, Northern Ireland minister in the Blair government. The programme also heard that the prince shared his interest in complementary medicine with Peter Hain, Northern Ireland minister in the Blair government.
Hain said: "He had been constantly frustrated at his inability to persuade any health ministers anywhere that that was a good idea, and so he, as he once described it to me, found me unique from this point of view, in being somebody that actually agreed with him on this, and might want to deliver it." Hain said: "He had been constantly frustrated at his inability to persuade any health ministers anywhere that that was a good idea, and so he … found me unique from this point of view, in being somebody that actually agreed with him on this, and might want to deliver it."
He added: "When I was secretary of state for Northern Ireland in 2005-07, he was delighted when I told him that since I was running the place I could more or less do what I wanted to do. I was able to introduce a trial for complementary medicine on the NHS, and it had spectacularly good results, that people's wellbeing and health was vastly improved."He added: "When I was secretary of state for Northern Ireland in 2005-07, he was delighted when I told him that since I was running the place I could more or less do what I wanted to do. I was able to introduce a trial for complementary medicine on the NHS, and it had spectacularly good results, that people's wellbeing and health was vastly improved."
Blair's predecessor as prime minister, John Major, told the programme he supported Charles's lobbying: "I think it is encouraging that the Prince of Wales is entirely free from his unique perspective to write to ministers or the prime minister in a way that is invariably intended to be helpful, and I think to cut that off, or to make sure those letters are much more bland than they otherwise might be, would be a loss." Blair's predecessor as prime minister, Sir John Major, told the programme he supported the prince's lobbying: "I think it is encouraging that the Prince of Wales is entirely free from his unique perspective to write to ministers or the prime minister in a way that is invariably intended to be helpful. To cut that off, or to make sure those letters are much more bland than they otherwise might be, would be a loss."
Major also said he had sometimes changed policy following his weekly meeting with the Queen, while not giving details: "I can recall occasions where the Queen in discussion put a gloss upon something that made one think and reflect upon whether it was being done in the right fashion at the right time, or perhaps reflect upon what the impact of it would be." Major also said he had sometimes changed policy following his weekly meeting with the Queen, while not giving details: "I can recall occasions where the Queen in discussion put a gloss on something that made one think and reflect on whether it was being done in the right fashion at the right time, or perhaps reflect on what the impact of it would be."