Joe Glenton might have escaped arrest if he’d been prepared to keep his opposition to the war quiet, rather than speak about his experience openly. Because, as a soldier, he’s not supposed to air an opinion about the war. But every week there are reports in which soldiers tell us we’re slowly winning, and none of them get court-martialled. So the real crime wasn’t to voice an opinion but to voice the wrong opinion.

In any case Army leaders make statements about every aspect of the war, to the extent that Richard Dannatt, head of the whole force, criticised the Government just before announcing his allegiance to the Tories. Maybe there’s a formula that goes, “Officers of the rank of Captain or above shall he be entitled to thoughts. (However, ranks down to Sergeant-Major may be permitted certain impulses, at the rate of up to three per calendar month).” Mark Steel.

Today’s figures show that where there were 1600 secondary schools – one in two – that failed to reach this benchmark in 1997, there are only 247 today, including a drop from 439 in 2008. Remarkably, London now outperforms other regions. That is a spectacular success that is unmatched in reform programmes in other countries. The danger is that the Tories in their zealous idelological opposition to targets – even where they so clearly work – will take this pressure off schools and they will only realise its damaging impact only after it is too late. For today, though, it is time to recognise this signal achievement by headteachers and schools that has resulted from a Labour policy. Conor Ryan.