David Williams challenges the Tories to come clean on their education plans

David Williams, Labour’s Parliamentary Candidate for Crewe and Nantwich, has today challenged the Tories to spell out their education funding cuts.

David Williams said: “We know that David Cameron is planning swingeing cuts across public services, but what does that mean for schools, nurseries and Sure Start centres in Crewe and Nantwich?

“Labour believes in investing in the future of all our young people. The Tories' agenda of cuts in education in the middle of a recession would hit children's centres and school rebuilding projects and mean fewer opportunities for young people when they need them most.

“Labour will guarantee every three and four-year-old 15 hours of free nursery provision next year - up from 12.5 hours now - and will have opened a Sure Start Children's Centre in every community by next year.

“We will intervene early and roll out catch-up classes and one-to-one tuition in the three Rs for children at risk of falling behind in primary and secondary school.

“We have set three-year budgets for schools up to 2010/11. Spending per pupil in Crewe and Nantwich has more than doubled in real terms since Labour took power in 1997.

“We hear a lot of criticism from local Tories about Labour, but very little policy. They talk about cutting public spending, but won’t say where the axe will fall. Labour has a full programme of investment in the education of our children, as I have set out. Why won’t the Tories tell us what they will do?”