Ed Balls attacks Tories for 'office block' schools

Ed Balls today launches a renewed attack on Conservative "cuts" by claiming that a Tory government would house new schools in office blocks to save money.

The Secretary of State for Schools seized on comments made by the Tory education spokesman, Nick Gibb, that "some of the best new schools in Sweden are set up in office blocks".

His remarks come ahead of events tomorrow to mark the opening of the 200th academy school – despite reports last month that the Government is cutting funding for the academies programme. Twenty ministers will take part in school openings across the country.

In June, Mr Gibb was reported as saying that Conservative plans for a Swedish-style system of schools run by private firms could be opened "at a fraction of the cost of new-build academies".