RUTH Kelly is naturally disappointed that she has lost her Press Complaints Council complaint against the Daily Mirror over its coverage of her decision to send her son to a private special needs school.

But as a former Education Secretary it was entirely right that her decision was subjected to public scrutiny.

Her decision to pay for special education for her nine-year-old son who has substantial learning difficulties went against the ethos of her party and laid her open to accusations of hypocrisy.

Her decision did not please some of her hardline Labour colleagues and certainly her political opponents made the most of it.

We understand that she made the decision as a parent and, as she pointed out, there would be no burden on the public purse.

Having said that it was a legitimate subject for the Daily Mirror to investigate as the PCC concluded that their story had been centred mainly on her decision as a politician to send her son to a private school rather than on her son himself.

The PCC also ruled that the paper had taken steps not to reveal her son's name, details of his condition or school.