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y So which party is really concerned about education? Junior education and employment minister Cheryl Gillan thought she had the answer a couple of weeks ago during a debate initiated by Lib Dem spokesman Don Foster on buildings in the education sector. Surveying the opposition benches - occupied by Mr Foster, his Lib Dem colleague Nigel Jones and a single Labour frontbencher - Ms Gillan noted tartly that education was supposed to be the top issue for the opposition parties.

Her comment might have made a greater impact if she had been able to muster more than the single supporter attempting to look like an animated crowd on the Government side.