KATE OSBORNE MP: A farcical way to handle any situation let alone one as crucial as children's safety and education

Our school had been told in June by the Department that they had identified that there was critically unsafe concrete in part of the school – but crucially that they could open. I visited in July before the school holidays and asked the DFE to make sure the school had all the support it needed.

With just 24 hours' notice, the school was told the whole school had to shut.

A completely farcical way to handle any situation let alone one as crucial as our kids' safety and education.

On Friday last week, I joined Mrs Heslop, Headteacher at St James, her staff and pupils to see for myself the three locations being used for face-to-face learning.

I can’t speak highly enough of all the staff and children at St. James’ who have handled this very difficult situation so well – and so much better than the Government!

I asked two questions, spoke in the debate in Parliament and also had a private meeting with Ministers to demand that the issues the school has had to face are dealt with promptly and work starts as soon as possible to make the building safe.

However, despite promises, we are still being told our schools have to pay for things themselves using reserves. This is not acceptable.

Thirteen years of austerity under this dreadful Government and our public services are crumbling around us.

There is no greater symbol of years and years of Conservative neglect than our children being taught in unsafe buildings – buildings that the Government have known were unsafe for years and took no action.

This is an utterly shameful situation.

It’s not just schools, NHS buildings, courts, Local Government buildings are all falling down – and so are the staff – with so many jobs also cut they are on their knees.

I will continue to keep up the pressure on the Government to support our schools, to fully fund all temporary arrangements and long-term works to make sure our children are learning in a safe and comfortable environment.

This Government has made a complete mess in their handling of the crisis and it is their decades of cuts in funding that have destroyed not just school buildings but public services that our communities rely on.

How can any parent or teacher trust them to take on the responsibility of fixing this mess?

As Keir Starmer said yesterday during PMQs, we need a General Election now to start fixing this mess!