I’ve often been appalled by the sort of intellectual and political drek that ends up being appointed to public sector posts. Too often jobs that have immense influence over society go to failed politicians, the chums of politicians, those in good favour with politician’s wives or those who tick the right ideological boxes.

The current UK government has, at least in one instance, broken with this tradition and appointed a person who I believe really deserves the position, in charge of Boris Johnson’s much vaunted ‘levelling up’ agenda, that she has been given. Katherine Birbalsingh, an educator who passionately believes that the current state education sector has failed many of our most vulnerable and disadvantaged young people, has been appointed by Equalities Minister Liz Truss to be the head of the Social Mobility Commission.

If this story published in the Daily Mail is correct and it is something the paper seems to think is true, then this is a good move. Education is the key to allowing people to escape from their backgrounds and escape from poverty. Sadly too often the UK education system has let disadvantaged people down by giving them an unsatisfactory education system that fails to teach young people especially, basic skills that they need in order to progress in life.

It remains to be seen whether Ms Birbalsingh will be able to make any positive changes to how young people are educated and it needs to be noted that Social Mobility Commissioner is an advisory position which the government can ignore if they want. Ms Birbalsingh is not in the position where she can wave a political magic wand and get schools and society to teach the basics rather than biased political propaganda, mores the pity. However, this appointment does send a message that the government does recognise the value of proper education. My worry is what would happen when Ms Birbalsingh’s recommendations clash with those of the very powerful and very left wing teaching unions? What for example would be the government’s response if Ms Birbalsingh’s commission recommended dumping a whole lot of the critical race theory or wokery from schools and return to a basic skills and knowledge agenda, against the wishes and desires of the teaching unions? Would the government back Ms Birbalsingh and risk disruption and trouble from the left wing educational establishment or would Johnson’s government cave into the unions?

We will have to, of course, wait and see to see how Ms Birbalsingh fares in her new position but at least this appointment is a step in the right direction. Left’s hope it’s not just windbaggery and window dressing from Boris Johnson’s government and it represents a recognition that the worst off have been worst served by an educational system that is far behind much of the rest of the developed world in terms of quality.