Douglas Alexander MP

Labour MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire South

Alexander Rallies with Buddies Against Unfair Teacher Cuts

Local MP Douglas Alexander stood shoulder to shoulder with local parents, children, teachers and other concerned members of the public in the biggest rally held in Paisley in years.

Eight hundred crowded into the Town Hall, more than three hundred stood outside in the rain unable to get in. Brought together in anger at the SNP led Council's plan to disadvantage Renfrewshire kids.

The SNP council have decided to axe 60 primary school teachers and replace them with sports and drama workers without appropriate teaching qualifications.

That would mean two and a half hours less teaching each week for Renfrewshire Primary kids than kids from other parts of Scotland. The SNP bosses plan to make these changes in all 49 Renfrewshire primary schools by January 2012.

It’s hard to express the breadth of anger in Renfrewshire that these proposals have generated.

The EIS - who organised Saturday's Rally - are opposed to this change: Local teachers voted overwhelmingly to reject this plan with a resounding 97% saying NO!

Speaking from Paisley Tow Hall, Douglas said:

"As the local MP I was here to stand shoulder to shoulder with local parents and teachers. It was an extraordinary demonstration of the solidarity between local parents and teachers. - in protest against the SNP Council's unfair cuts to teaching hours and teaching numbers here in Renfrewshire.

"It is time for the SNP and Lib Dem Councillors to listen to the concerns of the 800 local people inside the Town Hall and the hundreds of people outside in the cold. They can and should listen, reflect, and reverse this decision. Local kids deserve qualified teachers.

"I will continue to support local parents and teachers and work with my Labour colleagues in the Council and in the Scottish Parliament, to fight these cuts and force the SNP to think again."