Last night Mayor Boris Johnson told guests at the Royal Academy annual dinner that he wanted to boost music in schools.

"I mourn," he said, "the loss of so much music teaching in schools and as mayor I want to help restore it." His priorities are right. Music - despite the recent modest increases in Government support for singing in schools - has often been crowded out by other subjects, a victim of the league-table obsessions of school heads. Yet promoting music, and choir singing, in particular, can enormously enrich children's cultural life and help improve academic performance and discipline in schools. It is a worthy aim for the Mayor.

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  Picasso & Modern British Art - review

  Tate Britain's exhibition is an exploration of Picasso's influence on seven English contemporaries

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  Ken Livingstone's friends in the East

  The Mayor of Tower Hamlets defeated Labour to be elected. Livingstone not only backed him but some of Ken's key players are now at the heart of running the council. Stephen Robinson reports

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