"Gavin Williamson needs to go," for A-level scandal, demands Layla Moran

16 August 2020, 09:58

Gavin Williamson needs to go, demands Layla Moran

The Lib Dem leadership candidate was adamant that the Education Secretary is responsible for the A-level grading debacle and needs to resign as a result.

"The buck has to stop somewhere," said Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran in response to the downgrading controversy. She told Andrew castle that "Gavin Williamson, in my view needs to go.

"He's run out of excuses, he's run out of time, he's clearly incompetent, it's time for him to go."

Andrew asked the Lib Dem leadership candidate what should be the next step for the government be amid the crisis. She demanded the algorithm to be fully published.

"It's been looked at by very bright young people, nobody can get their head around it," Andrew noted. Ms Moran insisted that "the model itself if wrong," and the exams regulator should "go back to centre assessed grades."

She warned that as the GCSE grades are due to be released on Thursday, "97% of those grades are going to be changed by that model," and we need to preempt the oncoming disaster.

"There is a real issue and there's a natural injustice for students not getting into universities," she said and exceptions must be made for these A-level students.

Andrew wondered if Ms Moran would accept a grade inflation of 12 or 14% for A-level students and she unequivocally agreed.

"If there was ever a time to show extra compassion for these young people whose lives are going to be affected by this virus probably more than any other generation, then this is the time."

"This is the time to give them the leg up they need because boy, are they going to need it," the Lib Dem MP said.