Gillian Keegan ruthlessly mocked as she insists 'most' schools not dangerous

05 September 2023 , 09:53

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The Education Secretary is facing intense pressure over the crisis (Image: AP)

Under-fire Gillian Keegan has been mocked as the Department for Education boasted in a graphic that "most" schools are unaffected by the dangerous crumbling concrete crisis.

It comes as the Education Secretary scrambles to provide alternative classrooms for over 100 schools forced to close or partially close - just as the new school term begins.

Yesterday she was caught on camera moaning that no one was acknowledging what a "f****** good job" she was doing while others "have been sat on their a***s". In an update on the dangerous concrete crisis, Ms Keegan attempted to "reassure parents" in a series of posts on social media on Tuesday - but the tactic appeared to backfire.

The graphic from the Department for Education shared by Gillian Keegan (@GillianKeegan/Twitter)

"The vast majority of schools will be unaffected by RAAC. For those affected, we are working non-stop to mitigate any disruption to education, and protect pupils and staff," she said. It came alongside a graphic from the DfE stating: "Most schools unaffected".

But in a brutal reply, Labour shared a similar graphic, saying: "Most beachgoers not eaten by big shark". The party's Shadow Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson added: "The utter complacency. "The Education Secretary needs to get a grip, own up to the scale of the problem, and publish the list of all schools with dangerous crumbly concrete now."

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The Labour MP Stella Creasy also replied: "The government is making a virtue that 'most' ceilings won't fall down on your child's head - and not even telling you 'which' schools might be such death traps. Because parents enjoy playing Russian roulette with their kids as the go back to school..."

Labour's brutal response to the DfE's post (@labourpress/Twitter)

Earlier the Tory schools minister Nick Gibb also admitted that Rishi Sunak did reject a bid to rebuild 200 schools a year as Chancellor - after the PM claimed it was "utterly wrong" to blame him for the crisis.

Mr Gibb confirmed the DfE had asked for cash to refurbish 150 more schools than they had been doing a year in 2021. But the Treasury rejected the bid. It comes after a bombshell intervention from ex-top official Jonathan Slater, who said Mr Sunak rejected calls to repair more schools despite warnings from officials of a "critical risk to life" from dodgy school buildings.

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Ashley Cowburn