DEPUTY Prime Minister Nick Clegg stood accused of “contempt” for his constituents yesterday after shunning concerned teachers who had travelled all the way from Sheffield to London to lobby their local MP.

The Sheffield Hallam constituents requested a meeting with Mr Clegg last month but were told only on Thursday that he would not be available — after Angela Argenzio chased his office for confirmation.

Ms Argenzio and Shamraze Haseen-Khan made a three-hour journey to join yesterday’s National Union of Teachers (NUT) lobby of MPs at Westminster.

Ms Argenzio, whose son attends the school next to Mr Clegg’s constituency office, said she was “enraged” by Con-Dem plans for unqualified staff to teach lessons. 

She told the Star: “I would like to see him in person. 

“As a teacher I know what it is like to actually have that experience and what difference it makes to the children I teach. 

“I don’t want my children taught by people who are not competent to teach.”

Ms Argenzio first asked to meet Mr Clegg as part of the union lobby in an email to his constituency and Parliamentary offices on May 21. 

When she did not receive a reply, she called the office and was told to forward the email to a different address, which she did on May 27. 

She had waited over two weeks for a response when it finally arrived last Thursday, just five days ahead of the lobby.

In the email a caseworker apologised for the delay and promised a face-to-face meeting at one of Mr Clegg’s surgeries but did not specify a date. 

Labour general election candidate for Sheffield Hallam Oliver Coppard said it showed “Nick Clegg’s only priority is keeping his ministerial car.”

“As usual, Nick Clegg has the time to go on radio and the TV but he can’t be bothered to even speak to the people who live and work in Sheffield Hallam,” he said.

A spokesman for Mr Clegg insisted his office’s response time was reasonable considering his position as Deputy Prime Minister. 

“Nick Clegg holds regular surgeries for constituents,” he said.

But Mr Coppard added: "Michael Gove's educational reforms have only been possible because of the support of Nick Clegg and the Lib Dems.

"But when parents, students and teachers from his own constituency want to tell him about their legitimate and serious concerns, and how those reforms are so badly damaging their faith in our education system, he's can't even find the time to meet them."

Mr Haseen-Khan, who teaches at a school in Mr Clegg's constituency, also expressed anger that he could not tell Mr Clegg about the impact of his government's policies on classrooms. 

He said: "For someone who says he's doing a lot for children, it's disgusting."