Three Cheers for Dr Pike!

Is he the only honest (and brave) scientist in Britain?

Top scientists were last night accused of trying to hush up a damning report on the dumbing down of GCSEs to avoid embarrassing the Government.

Scientists being less than impartial, and trying to hush up inconvenient evidence?

Surely not…

The report by the Science Community Representing Education (Score) group said some exam questions required no scientific knowledge.

It also found maths was examined 'in a very limited way' and in some cases 'the allowable answers given in mark schemes did not reflect correct science'.

So, you can give a wrong answer, and still achieve a mark?

Who said ‘Education, education, education..’ again? I’ve quite forgotten…

But the Royal Society of Chemistry, which is represented on the group, broke ranks last night to blow the whistle on a cover-up.

'It would seem to me the public interest is being subordinated for political reasons, which is unacceptable,' said Dr Richard Pike, the society's chief executive.

Good for you!

Although the report was available online and to those that specifically requested it, the press release containing some stark criticism was unavailable.

It included a quote from Sir Alan Wilson, the chairman of Score, who said: 'It is astonishing that there are questions in our GCSEs that have no relation to science and that mathematics, the cornerstone of sound scientific understanding, is so woefully represented.'

And so long as that was based in fact – and it clearly was – what’s the harm in saying it?

Sources at the chemistry society said the Score coalition - based at the Royal Society - was concerned the findings would play into the hands of the Conservatives and education spokesman Michael Gove, and upset key civil servants.

Because upsetting the government and key civil servants would cut them off from the gravy train of government grants, of course.

Dr Pike said: 'My concern is that the civil servants in the Department for Children, Schools and Families are becoming increasingly politicised, even when confronted with evidence.

'Within the learned society community, for the most part, they don't want to cause trouble. They are cosying up with the civil service and cosying up with all the people involved in writing exams.'

A damning indictment of the creep of politics into every sphere and the influence of the largesse it can provide if you are prepared, as Dr Pike clearly isn’t, to forego your principles.

But then, prostitution thrives in harsh financial times, doesn’t it? So maybe we shouldn’t be too surprised….