In this article, the authors focus on the way in which politics and policy have impacted on one of the defining features of teacher education provision in England - that of 'partnership'. In particular the authors examine the way in which the concept and practice of partnership has been transformed in line with New Labour's 'Third Way' politics. In order to do this, the authors reflect on their recent evaluation of the National Partnership Project (NPP). This is an initiative established by the Training and Development Agency for Schools to increase the quality and quantity of schools' involvement in initial teacher education.