WHEN Tony Blair swept to power and memorably declared that "education, education, education" was his top priority, we backed him all the way because education is at the core of the country's future prosperity.

And the feedback we receive from teachers on the front line is that Labour has been good for education in terms of pumping additional resources into classrooms.

But do we really need new laws establishing a "national curriculum" for new-born babies and toddlers? On top of the national testing of primary school children, and the dominance of league tables, we can't help feeling that the priority is turning into an obsession.

Children grow up all too quickly and they have to be allowed the freedom and flexibility to learn and grow outside of a prescriptive environment.

The second element of The Childcare Bill - placing a duty on local authorities to ensure all working parents have access to childcare facilities - has also got us concerned.

Laudable though it undoubtedly is, the fudges are already plain to see. Councils will only be required to act "as far as is reasonably practicable" within funding constraints.

In other words, every local authority will say it can't afford it - we know it and the Government knows it - so it either won't happen or the cost will be passed on to council tax payers and parents.

It really is time for a reality check.