General election 2017: Labour and Lib Dems pledge education windfall
Opposition parties turn up the heat on Tories with promises to boost school funding by billions

A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
Thank you for signing up to TheWeek. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
Labour and the Liberal Democrats have put education at the forefront of their campaigns, vowing to save schools from what the Lib Dems called the "biggest cuts in a generation".
In an announcement today, the party also promised to ring fence £7bn if it wins the general election to ensure "no child loses out" by cuts to per-pupil spending.
Education spokeswoman Sarah Olney said: "While funding per pupil is set to see the biggest cuts in a generation, billions of pounds are being spent on divisive plans to expand grammars and free schools."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Jeremy Corbyn, meanwhile, has pledged to raise corporation tax to fund a cash injection worth £20bn into the education system, including £335m to top up funding for schools that stand to lose out under a new funding formula.
Labour's "ambitious proposals" also include a promise to "ban 30-plus class sizes, scrap adult learners' course fees and bring back student grants," The Independent reports.
An estimate from the National Audit Office says schools "will have to cut £3bn from budgets by 2019-20 to meet rising cost pressures", the BBC reports, while a survey of 1,200 teachers last month revealed more than half of state schools in England had asked parents for some form of financial assistance in the past year.
The funding promises were welcomed by local branches of the Fair Funding for All Schools campaign, although some expressed concern as to whether they had been "fully costed".
The Independent says Corbyn's policy "throws down the gauntlet to Theresa May", adding the Prime Minister also faces a "Tory rebellion" over school funding.
However, Sky News reports Conservative politicians have scoffed at the plans and called the calculations "nonsensical".
David Gauke, chief secretary to the Treasury, said Corbyn had already committed his proposed corporation tax rise "on 12 different things".
He added: "The Lib Dems are no better and won't even tell people about the tax rises they would bring in."
Continue reading for free
We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.
Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.
Sign up to our 10 Things You Need to Know Today newsletter
A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
-
Knotted
Cartoons
By The Week Staff Published
-
Is it time the world re-evaluated the rules on migration?
Today's Big Question Home Secretary Suella Braverman questions whether 1951 UN Refugee Convention is 'fit for our modern age'
By The Week Staff Published
-
The Liberal Democrat housing drama
Why Everyone's Talking About Ed Davey suffered a bruising defeat on the conference floor leading some to question his leadership
By Rebekah Evans Published
-
Is it time the world re-evaluated the rules on migration?
Today's Big Question Home Secretary Suella Braverman questions whether 1951 UN Refugee Convention is 'fit for our modern age'
By The Week Staff Published
-
The Liberal Democrat housing drama
Why Everyone's Talking About Ed Davey suffered a bruising defeat on the conference floor leading some to question his leadership
By Rebekah Evans Published
-
Rishi Sunak's tree code: what is the PM's election strategy?
Today's Big Question Conservative leader lining up major policy announcements in bid to rebrand as 'change' candidate
By Elliott Goat Published
-
What's the point of party conferences?
Talking Point The annual gatherings have quirky rituals and eccentric attendees but also act as 'important way-markers for our politics'
By Sorcha Bradley Published
-
'Hong Kong immigrants will make their mark like Windrush'
Instant opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By The Week Staff Published
-
Will Rishi Sunak's green wedge issue win over the public?
Today's Big Question The PM draws dividing line with Labour on net zero ahead of the next general election
By Sorcha Bradley Published
-
Industry backlash as Sunak set to water down green pledges
Speed Read Automotive and energy bosses look for clarity after PM backs away from UK net zero goal
By Arion McNicoll Published
-
October by-elections: what's at stake for Labour, Lib Dems and Tories
Parties will contest two former safe Tory seats on 19 October, putting pressure on Rishi Sunak
By Harriet Marsden Published