The Tories also think that “politically correct” educationalists dislike competitive sports on principle But this is a red herring. He claims that our compensation culture has made it too risky for teachers to supervise rough-and-tumble sports. Nothing can bring back the 5,000 playing fields that have been signed away since 1981.The neglect of competitive sports in schools is deeply worrying. Only two-thirds of children do the recommended two hours of physical education a week. The Commons Health Committee warned recently that obesity in children will have catastrophic effects on the nation’s health and cited a lack of exercise as a major contributory factor.The Conservative leader, Michael Howard, tried to make some political capital out of the situation by arguing that fears of litigation among teachers is partly responsible. A law introduced in 1998 required each application for a proposed sale to be put before the Education Secretary The number of sales decreased, but it still goes on.

The Government’s latest proposals, which would impose even tighter restrictions on the sale of school fields, are an exercise in locking the stable door after the horse has bolted. The policy introduced under the Conservatives of allowing local authorities to sell off fields to developers has reduced the opportunities of a generation of children to take part in outdoor sports. Not only have the effects of this policy been disastrous, but the rationale was flawed too. The financial gains to the local authorities that took advantage of this de-regulation were strictly short term. It was bad value for money.
Labour in opposition promised to put an end to this practice.

Virtually no one now defends the selling off of school playing fields. Now Changing Rooms has run its course, can we have reached that point? Let’s hope so, because that’s one makeover the country really needs.. The effect was likened, not inaccurately, to that of a “tart’s boudoir”.Could there be a silver lining? Economists point out that the unsustainable property boom will be over when the number of DIY programmes on TV peaks. Laurence Llewelyn Bowen, the show’s host, feels that Britons are now so skilled in interior design that there is nothing more he can teach us. Like a benevolent visitor from the galaxy of good taste, he has declared: “Beam us up, our work on your planet is done.” The viewing figures seem to support him.