THE LIBERAL Democrats can’t be trusted with schools in Wales because of its record of failure in councils across Wales, Labour said today.

Speaking in the Assembly, Mid and West Wales Labour AM Alun Davies, said the Liberal Democrats had failed pupils, children and staff in the management of local schools. He criticised the Liberal Democrat record on running schools and said it was another blow for its leader in Wales, who was losing the support of his own party.

ALUN DAVIES said:

“Across Wales the record of the Liberal Democrats on running our schools is one of failure. They have caused distress to pupils, parents and staff through their disgraceful handling of our schools.

“The Liberal Democrats have a shameful record.

“In Cardiff, a botched and arrogant schools reorganisation plan caused uncertainty and upset to local people. In Bridgend, the county is on the shameful position of having the lowest spending on primary school pupils across the whole of Wales. In Wrexham, the Liberal Democrats rejected a Labour plan to increase spending on Key Stage 2 and 3 pupils to the Welsh average. In Swansea, they faced an embarrasing climbdown after attempting to amalgamate two comprehensive schools without proper consultation.

“We should not take lessons from the discredited Liberal Democrats on how to run education in Wales.

“You could fit the Assembly Lib Dem group into a phone box. And yet the leader can’t even get the support of his own members. This is a discredited, lame-duck party,  that can’t even run its own affairs, let alone be trusted with Wales’ schools.”