Nick Clegg campaigns on plans to give children a fair start

9.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 4th May 2010

Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg will be campaigning in Liverpool and Glasgow today, focusing on Liberal Democrat policies to create a fairer country by investing an extra £2.5bn in our schools.

He will contrast the Liberal Democrats’ positive agenda with Labour’s schools system, which has left many children behind, and expose Conservative plans to cut nearly £29bn from the education budget.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg said:

“Labour has built an education system where only some do well, while others are left to struggle.

“My ambition is to make sure every child gets the best start.

“Liberal Democrats will not let our children pay the price for Labour’s failures.

“We have identified an extra £2.5bn for our schools, fully funded by cuts elsewhere in government, to allow schools to cut class sizes, provide more catch-up classes, more one-to-one tuition so that every child gets the individual attention they need to thrive.

“That couldn’t be more different from Conservative plans.

“They will cut the school building budget.

“The Swedish-style free schools they want to introduce, will, according to Swedish politicians themselves, be a disaster for standards.

“On top of that, what the Conservatives don’t want us to know is that they will be targeting schools for cuts.

“The Institute for Fiscal Studies says the budgets in unprotected areas are going to have to be slashed by almost 22%.

“David Cameron is going to have to cut nearly £29bn from schools over the course of the next five years.

“And that means fewer teachers, fewer computers, and a return to the days of tumble down classrooms.

“Liberal Democrats won’t let that happen.

“Join us and we can deliver fairness for every single child.

“Join us and in 48 hours you can make the difference.

“Choose the Liberal Democrats.”