Hostages to fortune

Tony Blair on investment and reform of public services, May 24
"Good education is the best way of releasing the talents of our young people."

Gordon Brown, speech to CBI, May 23
"So for Britain to do better, we must master a new tide of unprecedented technological change, win a bigger share of the best global jobs and move a higher percentage of our workforce into the high value-added areas like research and development, finance, and IT."

William Hague, May 25
"The plain truth is that we are failing children in many parts of this country. We are at the start of a new century, we have the fourth largest economy in the world, we are its fourth largest military power and yet too many of our children are having to settle for an education that is second best."

Evan Harris, Liberal Democrat spokesman for higher education, science and women, May 26
"Students from poorer backgrounds are in jeopardy from missing out on a university education. The abolition of grants for the least well-off students continues to badly damage the life chances of families from lower income groups."

Simon Hughes, Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman, May 26
"Labour promised it would not introduce tuition fees, but it did. The Conservatives sounded the death-knell for grants and Labour put the final nail in the coffin."

Stephen Byers, trade and industry secretary
"Mr Blair believes, quite rightly that the young people of today are the future of the country."