NOT all of us share the enthusiasm shown by New Labour politicians regarding the £2million sponsorship deal Capita chairman and multi-millionaire Rod Aldridge has agreed with the education department of Blackburn with Darwen Council as reported in the LET.

It should be remembered that a large part of the Capita empire is built on the cuts in terms and conditions of employment of new employees, who join his company after it has succeeded in privatising their jobs in the public sector, hence Capita's recently announced £65million profit.

In return for his sponsorship he is given control of a school and presumably the licence to mould the hearts and minds of pupils within the borough without having any democratic accountability or authority to do it.

This is regardless of the fact that the lion's share of the cost of building and running of the school, or academy as they prefer to call it, will be taxpayers' money.

New Labour has shown repeatedly its desire to distance itself from the traditional policies of the Labour Party. It has unceremoniously ditched the principle of comprehensive education and has transformed the Labour Party clarion call of "equality of opportunity" to accept the crumbs from a rich man's table.

Perhaps the Executive Member Education, Dave Hollings, might tell us if there are any more millionaires lined up to spend a bit of their pocket money on influencing the education of the children in the borough and if this funding initiative will be included in New Labour's future election manifesto.

DON RISHTON, Livesey Branch Road, Blackburn.