ABSTRACT
From 1945 to 1951 the Labour Party had pursued a foreign policy of a bipartisan nature, as far as possible avoiding conflict with the Tories. The Labour Ministers had pursued a consistent anti-Soviet line, and had supported the Americans in the war in Korea. The Labour Party was moving towards a unified policy on comprehensive schools but had not yet given adequate attention to the problem of a curriculum for comprehensive secondary education. The National Association of Labour Teachers at annual conferences and elsewhere were leading the campaign to abolish selection at age 11. These views were gaining ground within the Labour Party, although some continued to argue along meritocratic, efficiency lines. The Labour Party was constrained to some extent by its links with the National Union of Teachers which remained hostile to what they regarded as potential government interference in professional matters.
