PERSHORE’s MP Harriett Baldwin has called on the Chancellor to invest in county education budgets as part of his spending review which will take place today (Wednesday).
The review, which has been brought forward to next week when Parliament resumes, is Chancellor Sajid Javid’s opportunity to set out the Government’s spending plans for the next year.
Mrs Baldwin, who has been a long-standing c=ampaigner for a better funding deal for Worcestershire schools, has called on her fellow county MP to put local schools high on his list for increased budgets.
The former Treasury Minister has put her name forward for the chair of the prestigious select committee which will oversee the Chancellor’s work and called on the Bromsgrove MP to put school’s at the heart of the spending timetable.
“The Chancellor has brought forward the annual Spending Review debate to next week when MPs return after the summer recess and this is an important debate at which the Government will set out its future spending plans,” she said.
“While a General Election this autumn is a possibility, the Treasury will have to set out improved funding for some of the issues which continue to be an issue on the doorstep – and improved education funding is my highest priority.
“We saw another great set of results at A level and GCSE but I know from the conversations with local headteachers, just how hard the job is to balance budgets and offer a wide range of subjects.
“I have always put fairer funding as one of my top priorities locally and I hope that my fellow county MP, in his new role as Chancellor, does exactly the same and announces some positive news next week,” she added.
Labour shadow chancellor John McDonnell criticised Mr Javid’s move and said: “Nobody is fooled into believing that this is a proper and normal spending review.
“As each spending announcement is dribbled out it is exposed as inadequate and whole areas of spending needs like local councils and addressing child poverty are ignored.
“This is not a serious government.”
