Tories smug and complacent over school funding

At the Skeptics' debate in St Paul's community centre on 24th May, Sir Peter Bottomley won the prize for most complacent politician.

Dr Becky Cooper for Labour opposed the cuts to school funding and proposed better funding for all schools. It was unacceptable that heads could not afford to fund schools. There was plenty of money for the grammar school project. She advertised the Save our Schools campaign

Hazel Thorpe for the Lib Dems also opposed the cuts although the audience would remember that the Liberal Democrats were the lickspittles of the Tory Party in the coalition.

Leslie Graves for the Greens (actually the Worthing East candidate) emphasised the impact of the cuts on children with special needs. She opposed Academies whether Labour or Tory academies.

Even Mark Withers for UKIP opposed the present cuts but he did not have any facts at his disposal and he made no friends with his support for grammar schools.

Bottomley thought the funding formula should be looked at but saw the issue as one of fair funding for Sussex at the expense of other areas such as London.

If the Tories get their throats cut at this election (metaphorically of course) it will be this smug complacency which is to blame.