Morris had failed her A-levels and, although she was a popular teacher, her nail-biting and shyness suggested a lack of self-confidence. During a brief conversation in Downing Street after her appointment, Blair did not discuss his expectations, while Morris did not mention her concern over his shift towards choice and diversity for schools. ‘Market mechanisms to accommodate choice don’t work with education,’ she believed. She also disputed Andrew Adonis’s bold assertion that he had contributed to the expansion of good schools. Blair was unconcerned. As ever, he gave little weight to what Cabinet ministers said. Morris’s department was suffering ideological turmoil when she arrived. Under Blair’s new agenda, nearly a third of all comprehensives had been converted into specialist schools and, since he was persuaded that faith schools ‘add to the inclusiveness and diversity of the system’, more of that kind were expected. Labour MPs opposed to this mentioned the recent riots by Asian youths in northern England.
