Dismay over Spring Statement

Teaching unions expressed dismay after chancellor Philip Hammond failed to address the national school funding crisis in his Spring Statement last month.


Kevin Courtney, joint general secretary of the NEU teachers’ union, said: “Philip Hammond’s boast that the economy is in recovery prompts the question of why he cannot address the issue of school funding now.” 


He said the chancellor’s statement presented nothing new for children with special educational needs and disabilities “who are not getting adequate provision, nor for teachers who use their own money to resource lessons, or head teachers with difficult decisions to make around the lengths of the school day”.


Chris Keates, general secretary of the NASUWT teachers’ union said the era of austerity will continue despite the chancellor’s statement.


She said: “Teachers and headteachers will be looking to the government urgently to address the years of real-terms cuts to school budgets and the drastic erosion of teachers’ salaries which has contributed to the current teacher recruitment and retention crisis.” 


Shopworkers’ union Usdaw also expressed disappointment that the chancellor had missed an opportunity, in his Spring Statement, to address the deepening crisis in retail, and provide substantial help for workers in low-paid insecure work who are struggling to make ends meet.

https://neu.org.uk/press-releases/spring-statement

https://www.nasuwt.org.uk/article-listing/nasuwt-comments-on-chancellor-s-spring-statement.html

https://www.usdaw.org.uk/About-Us/News/2019/Mar/Chancellor-ignores-the-retail-crisis-and-offers-li