This is a spoof article based upon an article published yesterday in the Leicester Mercury.
A Leicester MP has launched a national campaign aiming to get G4S out of all schools.
Keith Vaz is concerned that although G4S are a well known human rights abuser, they are being encouraged to run services in schools nationwide.
As part of the campaign, schools will be awarded a gold star if they agree to prevent private corporations entering their premises.
Mr Vaz joined pupils in a game of Colditz to raise awareness of terrible abuses that take place in prisons operated by G4S.
“We are experiencing an epidemic of privatization in our schools,” said Mr Vaz.
“Schools must lead the way in educating pupils about the benefits of an education system which is not run for profit.”
Councillor Vi Dempster, assistant city mayor for children, young people and schools, said that the city council has no formal powers over to keep corporations out of schools.
However, she said it aimed to work in close partnership to see that the ethical standards that G4S applies in prisons are the same as those applied in local schools.
Local socialist, Michael Barker, who is supporting the campaign, said: “People need to be educated from a young age about the Labour Party’s commitment to corporatising the education system.
“Taking private companies out of schools would obviously help, but doesn’t stop kids from having false illusions about Labour.
“Given Mr Vaz’s recent cosying up to Michael Gove, it is excellent news that he has finally seen the light and is now challenging both G4S and the Labour Party’s pro-corporate line.
“If a company gives Labour a taste of their power, they get down on their knees and bow down before it.”
Michael said young people need to learn that there is a political alternative to the Labour Party, with the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition being one such electoral group that would side with Mr Vaz’s brave campaign.
“A lot of people see problems with local democracy as a ‘greed-disease’ and that’s not right. Socialism is the natural state for any democratic society but some people aren’t aware of how important it is to work collectively to implement it.
“The next step beyond the G4S campaign is for the whole population to join together in a one day General Strike.
“Everybody should be entitled to a decent life, living a healthy lifestyle free of stress and worries and that simply is not possible under capitalism.”
For more critical background on Mr Vaz, see “Keith Vaz and G4S.”
Thoughts of a Leicester Socialist 