Lib Dems will reverse school cuts in Hastings & Rye says Perry
On the day his party launched its election manifesto the Liberal Democrats’ Nick Perry says if elected his party will: “build a brighter future for every child in Hastings & Rye.”
He told Hastings In Focus: “Young people across Hastings & Rye deserve world-class schools and colleges so they can get the best start in life.”
At their manifesto launch the Lib Dems announced they will spend £10 billion a year more on schools and hire 20,000 more teachers by the end of the next Parliament.
Figures from the National Education Union show that next year (2020/21), schools in Hastings & Rye will have seen their budgets cut by more than £3m in real terms since 2015, once increasing pupil numbers are taken into account according to Mr Perry, the equivalent to a cut of £150 per pupil across the constituency he says.
“The Conservatives have cut school budgets to the bone. Across the country, hundreds of schools rely on handouts from parents or cut staff numbers to make ends meet. Some schools are even shortening the school day because they can’t afford to keep children at school for a five-day week.
“If I am elected, I will fight to reverse school cuts so that our children can get the resources they need to learn,” he says.
“Liberal Democrats will build a brighter future for every child in Hastings & Rye. By stopping Brexit, we can spend £10 billion a year more on schools and recruit 20,000 more teachers to give every child the skills they need to succeed in life.”
Other key elements of the Lib Dems manifesto are:
- Stopping Brexit
- 1p in the £ on income tax for the NHS
- Generate 80 per cent of electricity from renewable sources
- Tax frequent flyers
- Legalise cannabis
- Freeze train fares
- Introduce a 20 per cent rise for workers on zero-hours contracts
- Resettle 10,000 refugees a year
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