Teaching union gets new leader

The second largest teaching union, the NASUWT, has appointed its first female general secretary, Chris Keates, who was elected unopposed after being nominated by a record 87 of the union's branches.

She had been acting general secretary since the untimely death of her predecessor Eamonn O'Kane, who died in May. Prior to that she had been covering the post during his sickness.

While expressing delight in the support she had received in the union, she said the day would be "tinged with sadness."

* Debbie Cort has replaced Clare Clark as general secretary of ALGUS, the union for Alliance and Leicester Group staff.