Tim Farron takes fight for Cumbria’s teaching assistants to Westminster

Cumbrian MP, Tim Farron, used a debate on teaching assistants in Cumbria in the House of Commons to call on the government to put pressure on Cumbria County Council to rethink their plans for up to a 30% pay cut for Cumbria's teaching assistants.

Speaking last night in a special debate on the issue, won by Tony Cunningham, Tim called on the government to put pressure on conservative-led Cumbria County Council to halt their plans for significant cuts in pay for local teaching assistants. Current plans could result in up to a 30% drop in their income. It is feared that this will lower morale among teaching assistants that could negatively impact the quality of education for children in the Cumbria.

Commenting after the debate, Tim said:"The proposed pay cut is fundamentally unfair. I will do everything I can to ensure it does not go through. It fails to recognize the valuable service provided by teaching assistants, and would only have a negative impact on the quality of the education given to our children. Teaching assistants have been wrongly downgraded because the county council got their process wrong. They simply need to own up to this and start again."

"I'm really glad that I had the opportunity to speak in this debate, and to impress upon the government the importance of protecting the pay of teaching assistants in Cumbria."