Local MEP accuses unions of hypocrisy over school places crisis

MEP Paul Nuttall, UKIP deputy leader

As news that more children than ever are being denied a place at their chosen school, due to over-crowding, local UKIP MEP Paul Nuttall has accused teachers’ unions of rank hypocrisy over concerns for the future of UK education.

New figures show that this year the percentage of pupils in England admitted to their first-choice secondary school has fallen for the first time in five years.

Simultaneously, the number of applications for secondary school rose for the first time since 2008.

Mr Nuttall, deputy party leader said, “This is one of the many problems exacerbated by uncontrolled immigration, and even the media has finally admitted it.

"It is all very well the leftie teachers’ unions being up-in-arms about the problem of school places but it was those very same Labour supporting unions that called UKIP racist for highlighting the problems caused by mass immigration.”

Dr Mary Bousted of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers has accused Education Secretary Michael Gove of failing to deliver his main responsibility of "providing school places for the nation's children".

The Local Government Association has warned that rising demand for primary school places could soon see two pupils fighting for every place in some areas of the country.

Mr Nuttall added, “Labour and the unions want to have mass immigration and small class sizes, and a place for every child at the school of their choice. That simply can’t be done, we said it couldn’t be done, and today we have been proven right all along.

“Whilst we are a member of the EU, the Tories know they can do nothing to solve the problem of uncontrolled immigration either, so I'm afraid many parents hoping to get their child into the best school in their area next year will be sadly disappointed.