Academy chief executive says he hopes Labour politicians who challenged trust takeover will be “washed away” at next elections – prompting deputy council leader to call on him to resign
Halifax town hall, where Calderdale council is based. Image: iStock.
Staggering war of words between Michael Gosling, chief executive of Trinity Multi-Academy Trust, and Scott Patient of Calderdale council, follows rapid collapse of Trinity’s proposed “merger” with Pennine Alliance Learning Trust.
A senior councillor has called on a multi-academy trust chief executive to resign, after the chain leader suggested to his staff that he hoped Labour politicians would be “washed away," seemingly at the next set of elections.
The latest extraordinary statement from Michael Gosling, chief executive of Trinity Multi-Academy Trust, came to light as the fall-out continued from the rapid demise of a plan for his organisation to take over a smaller local MAT in Calderdale, West Yorkshire.
Mr Gosling stated that joining up with the other trust would have allowed its “toxic culture to infect us,” with the deputy leader of Calderdale council responding that the CEO “earns £100s of thousands of wages every year for this kind of childish tantrum”.
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By Warwick Mansell for EDUCATION UNCOVERED
Published: 23 January 2026
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Where on earth do they find these less than knowledgeable or sensible Academy proponents? This one should just fade away.
Thank you for reporting this. Culture is very very hard to assess and can often change gradually over time. An executive needs to be careful in referring to toxic cultures. In this case it looks like a disgruntled CEO not getting what he wants. He may have to wait another year or two for a knighthood. Must be frustrating. Academy schools have become remote from their communities and often the trustees live in other parts of the country. It’s easy instead to see how all the performity, mergers and acquisitions debate is toxic instead to the staff who do invest in their communities. There is no doubt that a rethink is needed. Arthur Terry Learning Partnership has taken the schools and the staff into very uncomfortable territory. The impact on children and their education must be the top of the agenda.