Diary: Gove's double U-turn – on exams and Mary Seacole

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2013/feb/07/hugh-muir-diary-michael-gove

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• It is not a U-turn as such, said Michael Gove, hoisting the white flag on his plan to introduce an English Baccalaureate. We're just tinkering. But it is a big tinker. What would Thatcher have said? The lady was never for this kind of tinkering. But then it does seem Gove's way to throw mud at the wall and see what sticks, and with that in mind, now might be a good time to return to the issue of Mary Seacole. We're moving away from teaching all that politically correct stuff was the briefing given to the rightwing papers a few weeks ago. Instead, more Bulldog. More Churchill. But a lot of people got angry and, just last week, we were told how Nick Clegg had intervened, assuring campaigners that Seacole would be downgraded over his "dead body". And now? Now we learn that not only will Seacole not be erased, she will in fact be elevated into the main curriculum. "I agree that it is important that our children learn about the difference that these figures have made, and it is right that we do more, not less, to make subjects relevant to the lives of our children," wrote Gove to a jubilant Operation Black Vote. Another mad wheeze bits the dust. On to the next.

• Good news for the arts from the Treasury, for we learn that chief secretary Danny Alexander has twice been seen at the theatre in recent weeks: going to Julius Caesar at the Donmar and Mark Rylance's topical Richard III at the Apollo. Not that anything can be read into his choices – tales of deception, betrayal and desperate measures are no less fitting for Lib Dems as they are for any other political party in these troubled times.

• Conservatives and Lib Dems mull over the choice of their respective candidates for Chris Huhne's vacated seat in Eastleigh, but what about Nigel Farage and Ukip? It's a big test for them. If they are to profit from the Tory woes of late, the gains must be made in constituencies such as Eastleigh. Farage has already said that the banner won't be carried there by him; he's a busy man. And, anyway, the last time he stood there, the best that could be said was that he got more votes than Screaming Lord Sutch.

• So, we rule him out and apparently we might also dismiss thoughts that the candidate might be that other Ukip standard bearer Neil Hamilton. The people of Eastleigh have suffered enough, seems to be his initial view. "I think there is only room for one arsehole in any constituency," he was overheard to say in response to an inquiry. But, the door isn't closed. "If you want to nominate me," added Hamilton to his questioner. We'd like him to give it a go; if only for the sport.

• Hamilton fended off the inquiry as proceedings drew to a close at the Paddy Power Total Politics Political Books of the Year awards at the Imax on London's South Bank. It was a glamorous, high-powered affair, with top politicians, commentators and publishers summoned for an orgy of gratitude, back-slapping and gossip, sustained by the prospect that they might touch Lord Ashcroft's garment. The Tory peer provided thousands in prize money. The main winner of the evening was Caroline Shenton, hailed for her political history The Day Parliament Burned Down, but among the other winners were Nick Cohen of the Observer (Polemic of the Year) and in the political book debut section, our own investigative reporter Ian Cobain. He wrote Cruel Britannia, a history of Britain's involvement in torture. And therein lies a heartwarming tale. For among the political figures who get a rough press from Cobain as he surveys New Labour's life-and-death decisions while in power and in office is the former home secretary Jacqui Smith. As fortune would have it, she was chosen as a judge in Cobain's category. What will she do, we asked, highlighting the anomaly a fortnight ago? Will she agitate against it? Will she recuse herself from the decision? Come the moment of truth, she did not recuse herself. She ranked the exposé the pick of the bunch. "Apart from the bits about me, it's a very good book," was her explanation afterwards. She did the right thing, much to her credit. That said, one doubts she'll be buying the book for friends at Christmas.

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