Just over a month after the announcement that over 700 schools across the country would be denied their BSF funding, Michael Gove has made a U-turn and announced building work can now proceed on South Camden Community School, Swiss Cottage Specialist SEN School and the UCL Academy.

Glenda Jackson, Labour Member of Parliament for Hampstead and Kilburn, has expressed her surprise that Mr Gove has suddenly managed to ‘find’ these magical reserves despite repeatedly claiming that the cuts were necessary because there was “simply no money”!

Glenda said,

“I am thrilled that this much-needed renovation and expansion work can now continue on our Camden schools. Why it has taken the uproar of constituents and MPs, signing of petitions and continued pressure from all sides to make the Government see sense is beyond my comprehension. The distress and anxiety caused to the parents, children and teachers throughout this whole process is wholly unacceptable. Better late than never, I suppose”.

Glenda has been irate at the decision to axe the BSF funding, announced on 5th July, and criticized the Tory-Lib Dem government of for using “‘slash and burn’ economics which not only deny our schools the expansion they need, but also deny the construction industry the contracts their employees and suppliers were replying upon”. 

Since the announcement, Glenda has launched an online petition and has been speaking out both in the House of Commons and to local press about the funding cuts which would bring on an immediate crisis in schooling. She would like to offer her warmest congratulations to the parents and teachers who tirelessly campaigned against the cuts to save our schools.

The school funding announcements have been characterised by a series of blunders on the part of the education department which has increased confusion and heart-ache, and further proved their incompetency and disregard.

We are yet to hear Michael Gove’s decision on the Brent Schools in Glenda’s constituency, and so Glenda would like to urge everyone to continue to sign her petition on our home page.