The Education Secretary, Gavin Williamson, has visited a Blackburn school, along with Darwen MP Jake Berry, in the wake of the government's announcement of a £14bn cash boost for the education system, including an extra £700m for special educational needs.

Mr Williamson enjoyed being quizzed by pupils at Redeemer Church of England Primary School in Fernhurst and praised the school as a "great example" of successful integrated learning.

Mr Williamson said of the £14bn extra funding for education "This money is about supporting our most important assets, which are teachers, and what they can do to benefit our schools", adding that the government has managed to create one million extra school places since 2010. Additional funding will be made available for capital projects such as building developments.

You might have expected Blackburn MP Kate Hollern to be pleased that the government is investing heavily in our children and their futures. Instead, she has bizarrely attacked the £14bn extra spending for education, calling it an election stunt. Presumably she would prefer the government to invest nothing in schools.