Labour takes the lead in the battle for the teacher vote

17th April 2015, 1:01am

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Labour takes the lead in the battle for the teacher vote

https://www.tes.com/magazine/archive/labour-takes-lead-battle-teacher-vote
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More than four in 10 teachers in England and Wales intend to vote Labour at next month’s general election, making it the most popular party among school staff, a survey by TES and YouGov reveals.

The figures will be a welcome boost for Labour leader Ed Miliband and shadow education secretary Tristram Hunt, with just 20 days to go until the country heads to the polls.

Perhaps surprisingly, given the animosity towards the Conservative Party during Michael Gove’s tenure as education secretary, nearly 30 per cent of school staff said they intend to vote Tory. The relationship between the workforce and Mr Gove was described as “toxic” before he was replaced by Nicky Morgan in July last year.

The Liberal Democrats are likely to be the most disappointed by the survey results. In the week that deputy prime minister Nick Clegg claimed the Lib Dems were the “party of education”, the numbers reveal that just 10 per cent of teachers intend to support the party at the election.

UKIP, which has championed the expansion of grammar schools, came in fourth place with 7 per cent. The Green Party, which has pledged to scrap Ofsted, Sats and league tables, garnered 6 per cent.

 

 

Here’s what the parties are promising you: 


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