Education Secretary Gillian Keegan confirmed in front of the Education Committee this morning that trans guidance to be issued before Christmas will not restrict social transitioning. Keegan faced a fiery line from Tory MP Nick Fletcher, who asserted he  “can’t go to bed at night knowing a Secretary of State is allowing current trans situation in schools“. Keegan hit back: “Never go to bed at night thinking you care more about children than I do”. She is the Education Secretary after all…

Keegan explained that banning social transitioning in schools would require a “change in the equalities law,” a matter for Equalities Minister Kemi Badenoch to deal with. Kemi has been positioned as taking the more hardline approach on the issue of social transitioning in schools, having been brought in to help draw up new guidance, while Keegan has been criticised  for being “too liberal“. Though if star of the Tory-right and “culture warrior” Kemi was so passionate about the subject, then it’s up to the Equalities Minister to change the law…

The Department of Education are recruiting a senior digital videographer for the noble task of filming regular social media content of Gillian Keegan at the taxpayers’ expense of a whopping £48,701 – factoring in 33 days annualised holiday that is roughly £1,000-a-week. Nothing quite says “efficient use of funds” like filming the daily escapades of a government official. The successful applicant will “lead” social media channels and capture “high-quality and engaging” content. To be fair, her previous media stints have been ‘engaging’ to say the least…

The role is only for six months, perhaps preempting a possible early electorate-driven departure in May from the Education Secretary. One of her current SpAds is a social media expert who previously produced content for Matt Hancock’s leadership campaign, though clearly the department has recognised the need to help improve her online content. Applications close on Monday. Nice work if you can get it… 

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan is continuing to do a “f*****g good job” by thinking of new and innovative solutions to school infrastructure. Keegan noted in the Commons this afternoon that she when met Portakabin-confined pupils at a local school, they “were all petitioning me to stay in the Portakabin, because they actually preferred it to the classroom.” Labour are complaining that the Tories did not “fix the roofs when the sun was shining”…

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan is coming under serious pressure from Tory MPs for her ‘over-cautious’ and “unilateral” decision to close school buildings over the RAAC concrete scandal, with Ministers now fearing she has opened a “Pandora’s box” by setting a precedent that will force other public buildings to close unnecessarily. According to Sky News’s Sam Coates, Keegan’s decision has had a ripple effect across Whitehall, with local councils, hospitals, and even military sites now facing potential closure to justify shutting schools over the bubbly concrete fiasco. Whitehall committees which had been investigating the issue for years were “informed”, although not consulted…

Keegan did at least get Number 10’s sign off, so Rishi’s fingerprints are over this too. Although the fear is the government could now be liable in the court if, for example, a courtroom or hospital building starts to crumble. Of course, plenty of these buildings were constructed well before the 2010, so it’s not as if Labour don’t have questions to answer either…

Gillian Keegan launched a bold defence of her record during a testy interview with Sophy Ridge last night. Speaking on the debut of Sky News’ Politics Hub programme, Keegan was first left squirming as Ridge played back her hot mic moment to her in the studio. Although Gillian put on a smile, she hardly looked impressed…

The pair then discussed the numerous controversies swirling around the Education Secretary and her department. Keegan first made the unconvincing assertion that “I wasn’t talking about me” in her off-guard outburst. She then tried to claim “there was no complacency” on display in the clip, adding “it was the journalist” that got her back up. Gillian’s next tactic was to shift the blame over crumbling concrete. She argued the Department for Education is “not the responsible body for schools”.

Cue another robust exchange after Ridge asked Keegan if holidaying in Spain whilst school roofs caved-in was a mistake:

GK: Well when I went on holiday- I mean to be honest for the whole of summer um obviously I had to sort out industrial action then I had to do the A-levels, then I had to do the GCSE’s. So the first time I could go on holiday was then.

SR: So we should feel sorry for you?

GK: Not at all. I don’t expect anyone to feel sorry for me and I’m certainly not getting that vibe for you… I’ve always worked remotely. Nearly 50 years before I got elected as an MP, I always worked remotely.

SR: Don’t tell Jacob Rees-Mogg

GK: I said if it looks like we’re gonna make a decision… if it looks like we will do that then I’ll just come back. And I came back straight away – well, actually I came back straight away but I had to wait a day because of the air traffic controls.

Co-conspirators won’t be surprised to learn that Guido isn’t convinced by Keegan’s “I’ve always worked remotely” defence. Who can blame government workers for working from the beach when the Education Secretary is doing the same…

Gillian Keegan let her guard down at the end of an interview today. With language that could land her a detention, the Education Secretary let her frustration be known as she questioned why she wasn’t receiving the thanks she feels entitled to. She asked:

“Does anyone ever say for you know what you’ve done a f***ing good job because everyone else has sat on their a*** and done nothing. No signs of that, no?”

Like Britain’s schools, Gillian seems to be crumbling under pressure…

UPDATE: Keegan apologises for her “choice language“…