Why school uniforms?

I notice that a new law is due to come into effect in England in September that will “protect parents ... from unnecessary school uniform costs” by forcing state schools “to remove unnecessary branded items from their uniform requirements, allowing parents to shop around or hand clothes down more easily.”  (See BBC report).  Well, I suppose that is welcome as far as it goes, but why is there so little questioning of the peculiar practice of dressing schoolchildren in identical, old-fashioned and expensive clothes that neither they nor their parents would dream of wearing in any other context?

Based on various visits over the years to Europe and North America, I had supposed that school uniforms were a peculiarly British affliction, and that their prevalence would be limited mainly to the UK and some former British colonies. However, it seems that I was wrong.

Wrong answer

The Labour Party seems very pleased with itself following Sir Keir Starmer’s announcement that, if he were Prime Minister, his Government would freeze energy prices at current (August 2022) levels for six months and pay for it by a further “windfall tax” on energy companies.  Apparently, opinion polls show overwhelming public support for such a measure, which is also endorsed by the LibDems and the SNP.  Of course, it is easy to make such declarations when there is no chance of being able to carry them out.

The economic puzzle

I have no sympathy for either of the Conservative leadership candidates, and I wish they could both lose.  The prospect of the economically illiterate Liz Truss as prime minister is appalling.  However, I do have some sympathy for the dilemma that they face with regard to fiscal policy and indeed economic policy more generally.