Ashley Bramall - Leader of ILEA

Leader of ILEA

In the controversy over education in the 1970s, Bramall stood firmly behind comprehensive schools as a way of raising the educational achievements of most pupils. He was opposed to the use of corporal punishment and had it banned. However, his generally strong leadership did not prevent the scandal over the William Tyndale Junior School in Islington in 1975. He was given a Knighthood in 1975. Under Bramall, Labour retained control of ILEA in 1977 despite losing the GLC election. He was under pressure to stand as a candidate to replace Reg Goodwin as Labour Leader on the GLC in 1980, but resisted because he wanted to continue at ILEA.

When Margaret Thatcher became Prime Minister she put pressure on local authorities, and especially on ILEA, to cut spending. Bramall was opposed but was not willing to go along with the far left demands for an outright confrontation and legal defiance. This made the left determined to replace him, and when Labour won GLC control in 1981 with a new left-wing majority, Bramall was voted out as ILEA leader. Knowing this was going to happen, Bramall had cleared out his office and left a note to his replacement on the desk before going to the meeting where the vote for leader was to take place.

Bramall remained on the authority and continued to fight for moderate policies, and it was a sign of the respect which the left had for him that they were prepared to choose him as figurehead Chairman of the Authority.