Forum Topic

Sack Toby Young

Please sign this petition to sack him from this new role: https://www.change.org/p/theresa-may-mp-sack-toby-young-from-university-watchdog-post/fbog/23922754?recruiter=23922754&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=autopublish.nafta_milestone_share_ask_1.72_hour_ask&utm_term=autopublish.nafta_milestone_share_ask_1.72_hour_askIn view of his views on women (misogynistic) and disabled people and that he is not qualified - see  https://www.theguardian.com/education/2018/jan/02/doubts-cast-on-dfe-claims-of-toby-youngs-qualifications-for-watchdog-posthe needs to go and be replaced by a more suitable independent person. I declare an interest - I work for the UCU trade union which is opposing his appointment.

Chris Hurley ● 3037d27 Comments

Indeed Vlod, there are certainly double standards being employed and it's a shame because thae errant Mr Yung has some quite interesting things to say about broadenng out further ed. for the less priveledged.

Keith Iddon ● 3030d

Apart from the usual double standards of lefties shrieking about Toby Young whilst being silent on Jared O'Mara, Labour MP for Sheffield (numerous misogynistic tweets) and John McDonnell ("why aren't we lynching the b***h" he said of a Tory female MP), this thread has been absolutely fine.

Vlod Barchuk ● 3030d

There are no posts here that say anything that identifies either where he lives - apart from somewhere in Acton - which we all know, his kids and household are not criticised, and that he has both is again common knowledge through his own words and actions.Actually a moderate and rather gently worded thread - considering how high feelings have run.Anyone else see a problem with it?

Sara Nathan ● 3031d

People power indeed..in fact the best example of that since the referendum.

Keith Iddon ● 3031d

Yes! People power!!

Chris Hurley ● 3031d

He's resigned.  Nice seeing a git get their comeuppance, isn't it?

Gavin Gilbert ● 3031d

No, they do not.This man has been a disgrace for many years, posting nasty stuff all around that he has been keen to delete over the last couple of days.He started the Free School movement here in Acton, undoubtedly looking for good *free* school places (rather than expensive private schools) for his own kids, which he got. He then dropped out.... I am sorry, but this guy has no credit whatsoever, he should be out, full stop.

Urs Esser ● 3032d

To disagee with someone’s political views is one thing - to mention their kids, talk about haranguing them and pointing people to where they live is going too far.The people who promote themselves on here as modern day saints and martyrs need to have a look in the mirror!

Richard Foster ● 3032d

It's not as if quangos don't already have a bad enough reputation without putting this berk anywhere near one.

Keith Iddon ● 3033d

I must be very boring....I don't think that if I were to be appointed to another big or sensitive job, there is a single tweet I would need to delete.Maybe that is worse....50,000 must have taken a little while.

Sara Nathan ● 3033d

It's been going on longer than that, though, Keith. Boris and Toby are both about 50 and neither of them is remotely snowflaky.

Susan Kelly ● 3034d

Very well said Susan.We are looking at a dumbed down, lowest common denominator future that is in the hands of what has become known as 'snowflakes'.

Keith Iddon ● 3034d

The trouble is that the western world is being increasingly infantilised, so some of these over-sized toddlers are going to end up in positions of power. The biggest over-sized toddler is currently in the White House.

Susan Kelly ● 3034d

Grown ups seem to be few and far between and when will they learn to stop tweeting.

Janice Evans ● 3034d

A very sensible contribution Tania.I find Toby Young occasionally amusing and thought-provoking although I share none of his political views. I agree with his point that a range of opinions should be listened to and there is a danger in group-think.However, he does have a juvenile mindset and he seems to be unsuited to a position of authority. I don't believe he is a racist or a misogynist but he does aim to offend in a naughty schoolboy kind of way and is probably secretly pleased when people overreact. He is only offensive in the same way a child loudly burping at the dinner table is. In both cases the problem would stop if it is ignored.There seems to be an increase tolerance in recent years for people who aren't really proper grown ups being given positions of authority - the US president and the British Foreign Secretary for example. This should be a concern to us all.

Andy Jones ● 3035d

I'm not a fan of Young, but I think this is being blown out of proportion.  He'll be on a panel with 14 other people. If he steps out of line I'm sure they'll rein him in.  Also, since when do any of these quangos actually do anything useful?! If I thought they'd make the slight jot of difference, my concern would be why the MD of Boots was on the panel.

Tania Bapuji ● 3035d

Shows what a twit he is and how unsuited to this job. Petition now has 166,000 signatures and rising fast

Chris Hurley ● 3035d

Bit pointless I thought as he cannot delete what we already know would have been better to leave them.

Janice Evans ● 3035d

He is frantically censoring himself by deleting his tweets.

Susan Kelly ● 3035d

Is there free speech anymore ? I would rather know someone's thoughts than them living a lie and they only harm their own reputation in the end.

Janice Evans ● 3035d

Seems that Mr Young isn't such a great believer in free speech anymore, as he's busy deleting thousands of his tweets.https://www.theguardian.com/media/2018/jan/03/department-for-education-defends-toby-young-appointment

Paul Scullion ● 3036d

I daresay he thinks that women who object to his remarks are just ugly, humourless lesbians.

Susan Kelly ● 3036d

Where he lives in Acton became common knowledge when he plastered his house in pro-Brexit posters.Which is nothing like as bad as what he seems to say about women, the disabled, foreigners or LGBT people.

Sara Nathan ● 3037d

Even the domestics look down their noses at Acton. I got into a row with a Filipino cleaner last week who demanded to be paid an extra £20 for the time it had taken her to get here... ‘You live Heathlow, you live Heathlow,’ she screamed. On this very website a few years ago. http://www.actonw3.com/default.asp?section=info&page=contoby02.htm

Bart Govaert ● 3037d

The Guardian have helpfully collected together his various comments : https://www.theguardian.com/media/2018/jan/03/toby-young-quotes-on-breasts-eugenics-and-working-class-people?CMP=share_btn_fb. Read them and make up your own mind about whether he is suitable - and no Toby it's not just because you are a Tory

Chris Hurley ● 3037d

Yes he lives in Acton.Sadly.

Chris Hurley ● 3037d

Doesn't he live round here? I spied him watching on from the pavement as his kids came round for trick or treat a couple of years ago. Anyway, he's knocking around somewhere so maybe you could harangue him in person. He has been a bit of a silly sausage on the old twitter.

Alex Powrie ● 3037d