Commenting on the Prime Minister’s speech in Brighton, Daniel Kebede, General Secretary of the National Education Union, said:
“After decades of division, austerity and underinvestment in public services, working people needed to hear that the direction of travel has changed under a Labour Government.
“The Prime Minister failed to do that today.
“Instead of setting out a positive vision to rebuild the economy and our society, he served up more of the same. Tough choices to be made, things getting worse before they get better and the burden to be borne by working people and their families.
“A record number of children are living in poverty, schools are crumbling and severely underfunded, we can’t recruit and retain staff. This is failing an entire generation of children and young people, hindering economic growth and sowing the seeds of division and inequality in our society.
“The nation’s children cannot wait – the clock is ticking.
“Children are going hungry today, people are struggling to pay their bills and education is on its knees.
“The politics of austerity will only be ended in practice, not in fine words. Only through sustained investment will the Government deliver their stated aim of giving children the start in life they deserve and make our public services fit for the future.”