Budget cash needed for existing schools, not ideological projects - Farron

South Cumbrian MP Tim Farron has said the government should use extra cash to support existing schools which face massive cuts, not to fund an ideologically-driven free schools project.

The Chancellor will announce a one-off payment of £320m to set up 140 new free schools in the budget on Wednesday.

Tim said: "The government's priorities are completely wrong. It is putting its ideological obsession with creating new free schools ahead of the urgent need to stop vast cuts to existing schools. Teaching unions estimate that schools in Westmorland and Lonsdale are set to lose over £5.5million by the end of this parliament. Across Cumbria, up to 625 teachers could be cut by 2020. If the government can find extra cash for education, they should use it to reverse the devastating cuts to schools' budgets."