Bridget Phillipson grilled on rebuilding crumbling schools
Labour’s Bridget Phillipson has left worried parents in doubt over whether her party would rebuild crumbling schools if they win power in next year’s election.
With children set to return to school this week at least 154 so far unnamed schools have been closed because of problems with reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) used in many public buildings from the 1950s to the 1990s.
While, Ms Phillipson went on the attack over the government cancelling the new school buildings programme 13 years ago, she was unable to answer whether her party would restart it.
Appearing on Laura Kuenssberg’s Sunday morning political show, Ms Phillipson dodged and swerved a number of repeated questions on replacing crumbling schools five times in a humilating performance.
Ms Kuenssberg told her that people want to know what Labour would do differently to the Conservatives.
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She asked: “Would you commit today then if Labour wins the election that you would pay for a full school rebuilding programme?”
A flustered Ms Phillipson replied: “I can’t just wave a magic wand and put right 13 years of Conservative government.”
But Ms Kuennsberg jumped in and repeated her question twice.
Ms Phillipson continued to avoid the question.
She added: “You are criticising them for cancelling it and not doing it, would you commit to doing it?”
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Ms Phillipson said: “Firstly, we need to find out what is going on.”
She then started talking about GP appointments and the police.
But Ms Kuennsberg brought the issue back to concret.
“You have very strongly criticised tyhe Conservatives for not doing it, but would you commit to doing it?”
The tetchy exchanges came after Ms Kuenssberg had pointed out that the Labour government in Wales had an even worse performance than the Conservatives.
Mark Drakeford’s Welsh Labour Government has only just started survey schools for RAAC.
Ms Phillipson defended the Labour Welsh shambles arguing they had not cancelled their school building programme.
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