CONSERVATIVES SLAM "HYPOCRITE" MP

The current MP for Yeovil, David Laws, has been branded a hypocrite by Conservatives at County Hall.

This follows his inaccurate claim that front-line school budgets would be cut by the County Council, when in reality schools receive their budgets directly from central government.

John Osman, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People at Somerset County Council, commented, "If David Laws is so concerned with the education of Somerset's children, why did he stand idly by while the former Liberal Democrat administration made millions of pounds in cut backs in the education sector over the last few years? This strikes me as hypocrisy of the worst kind. Even more disturbing is the fact that he did not use his position to oppose the Lib Dem administration when they closed Parfields Children's Home last year in his own constituency."

He continued, "Under the Lib Dems, less than half of the children of Somerset achieved 5 good GCSEs, which I find scandalous, but which David Laws seemed happy to accept. However, now the people of Somerset have said that they have had enough of the Lib Dems and have demanded the Conservatives fix the Lib Dems' legacy of broken promises and out-of-control borrowing at County Hall, Mr Laws believes it is acceptable behaviour for an MP to issue misleading statements."

Councillor Osman concluded, "I am appalled that David Laws MP is using the education of Somerset's children to make cheap political points, but I would still be happy to meet with him to discuss the proposals. Unfortunately he has not contacted me and has chosen to conduct himself through the press, which I find disappointing."

END

For more information, contact John Osman, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, 07774335767 jdosman@somerset.gov.uk

Notes to Editors:

Under the Lib Dems, Somerset schools performed worse than the national average for GCSE results. In the whole of the South West, only Bristol and Swindon perform worse than Somerset. Less than half of school leavers in Somerset achieved 5 A*-C grades including English and Maths.

Under the Lib Dems, the County Council’s borrowing spiralled to almost £360m, costing the Council Tax-payers of Somerset over £16m a year in interest payments. In addition, the Lib Dem administration lost £25m in Icelandic banks, leading to further pressures of the Council’s finances.

Ref: 29Jan10