A school headteacher known as the strictest in Britain and who has slammed "woke culture", has been appointed as the government's new Social Mobility Commissioner.
Katharine Birbalsingh, who is looking forward to her new role, said “improving social mobility is more vital than ever”.
“On the one hand, I want to inspire real action that will encourage people to seize the opportunities available to them and, on the other, I want to ensure that the government and other public bodies are delivering on their commitments to providing such opportunities, so that we really can ‘level up’ every region of the UK,” she added.
She got the spotlight at the Conservative party conference in 2010, where she gave a speech about Britain's "broken" education system. Birbalsingh received a huge applause but also created a political stir, for which she lost her job.
In 2014, she founded Michaela free school close to Wembley stadium in north-west London. The school with a "no excuses" behaviour policy gave pupils demerits or detention for forgetting to bring a pencil or pen, or for talking in the corridors between lessons.
Moreover, the school has been described as "outstanding" in all areas by Ofsted inspectors. Also in 2019, more than half of all GCSE grades were level 7 or above.
Reports suggest, Boris Johnson's senior advisers, Dougie Smith and his wife Munira Mirza are fans of Birbalsingh.
Liz Truss, the minister for women and equalities, wants Birbalsingh to focus on “education, enterprise and employment”.
Davindra and Seema Misra, and Vijay and Gita Parekh
Varchas Patel with his father Vipin and mother Jayshriben
Hasmukh Shingadia and his wife Chandrika were all victims of the Horizon scandal
During the hearing, Clifford denied all the charges except for the rape charge, which was added to the indictment at the session. (Photo: Hertfordshire Police /Handout via REUTERS)
Man pleads not guilty to murder of BBC presenter's family
A 26-year-old man has pleaded not guilty to charges of murdering the wife and two daughters of BBC sports commentator John Hunt in a crossbow and knife attack.
Kyle Clifford, who also faces charges of rape, appeared via video link at Cambridge Crown Court on Thursday.
Clifford, arrested in July after a manhunt, is charged with three counts of murder, one count each of rape and false imprisonment, and two counts of possessing offensive weapons – a 10-inch knife and a crossbow.
During the hearing, Clifford denied all the charges except for the rape charge, which was added to the indictment at the session.
He is expected to enter a plea for that charge at a later date.
The victims were Carol Hunt, 61, wife of horseracing commentator John Hunt, and their daughters Louise, 25, and Hannah, 28.
An earlier hearing revealed that Louise had been found tied up and that both she and her sister had been shot with a crossbow, while their mother had been stabbed with a knife.
The fatal attack occurred at the family’s home in Bushey, a commuter town near Watford, northwest of London.
(With inputs from AFP)