However, what Labour has done, in sharp distinction from previous Conservative administrations, is to work to build consensus on its approach to education. In 1990 Ball wrote of the previous Labour administrations: 'There was no attempt by the Labour Party to fashion a broad based national political discourse into which comprehensive education would naturally fit' (Ball 1990a, p. 30). It appears that this is changing as New Labour attempts to establish a vision to which most of the population can subscribe.