Tomorrow's meeting is a "chance for Minister to back Cumbria's schools" - Farron

South Lakeland MP Tim Farron has organised a meeting tomorrow with the Schools Minister to highlight the funding crisis facing local schools. Across Cumbria, schools face cuts of £23million by 2020, meaning that 625 teachers could be axed.

Tim has invited all Cumbrian MPs from all parties to the meeting, saying that "it is vital that we all work together to protect our schools from these damaging cuts".

Tim has also invited a representative from the Cumbrian branch of the National Association of Headteachers. Tim heard first-hand the problems local schools are facing when he spoke at their action day earlier this year.

Tim has also tabled a motion in parliament condemning the government's cuts and calling on it to "reconsider its plans and to choose instead to invest in education for the future".

Tim said: "Teachers and parents throughout Cumbria should not be forced to worry about the future in this way. The government should stop spending money on free schools in other parts of the country and instead spend that money on backing our teachers to teach our children.

"This meeting is a chance for the Minister to back Cumbria's schools and reverse these damaging plans."