Stubbs's angry daughter vows vengeance

By BRIAN LIBERATORE and MICHAEL HORSNELL

Article appeared Sept. 28, 2002 on page 10

I scooped the Times' dozen or so competitors with this article. An editor sent me out to Piccadilly after news broke that Sir William Stubbs had been sacked.

A London cab driver took me to the Ministry of Education and pulled around back. I spotted Fiona hurrying from the back of the building and chased after her.

After a brief interview, I found a phone booth and called in the story.

THE youngest daughter of Sir William Stubbs vowed to avenge his dismissal as she made a blistering attack on Estelle Morris, the Education and Skills Secretary, who dismissed him.

Fiona Stubbs spoke of her father as an exemplar in the field of education and said: "My father is an honest man. Politics stink and he's fallen into a snake pit and he's been bitten."

The Times has learnt that Ms Morris called Sir William to her office shortly before the report was released and asked him to resign. When he refused, she dismissed him. Sources say Sir William threatened to "fight you all the way", but later he faxed a letter of resignation to her department.

After venting her fury outside the headquarters of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, Ms Stubbs put an arm around her father's shoulders and accompanied him along Piccadilly, in Central London. She said: "To come to this is disgraceful. My father has always been my hero and I think it's wrong a man of his stature should leave like this."

Ms Stubbs, 35, is a former teacher, but yesterday she sounded more like a wounded tigress intent on retribution. "I will not rest until I see Estelle Morris go down," she said. "If she has a conscience, she should go. She will find it very difficult to sleep easy.

"It is a sad day when someone with honour and integrity is forced to do something like this. He has been fully exonerated."

Ms Stubbs reminded anyone who would listen of her father's long career. "He has given 35 years to education and there must be thousands of children in London who owe a great deal to what he has done."

David Hart, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said he believed that the A-level examination was doomed as a result of the inquiry. "I think in the long term it is finished: there were flaws in it which cannot be removed without moving to a better and broader examination system," he said.

Sir William said he regretted that Ms Morris believed that there had been a breakdown of confidence between the QCA and the examination boards, and added that she should consider her own position. Aides to Ms Morris said there would be no pay-off deal. His contract as part-time chairman, which earned him Pounds 42,000 a year, was due to expire in the summer.

The letter sent by Sir William Stubbs to Estelle Morris: The Tomlinson inquiry has confirmed that I acted properly and within my powers as a regulator should. I am pleased to see the same conclusion with respect to the awarding bodies. You have informed me that you believe that there has been a breakdown of trust between me and the awarding bodies and that there is a risk of drift and uncertainty as a consequence. I have no wish to cause any damage to young people and the education service. I have served the education service in this country over many decades as a public servant. Accordingly, in your view, if it would help to restore this level of trust I formally offer you my resignation as chairman of QCA.