EDUCATION: Labour was urged to avoid “word-salad answers” and reverse council budget cuts yesterday as the GMB conference heard that the academisation of schools damages working conditions.

Leeds school support staff delegate James Wilton said: “The majority of academies unfortunately make a mockery of the hard-fought terms and conditions the GMB has fought for for years.

“Community wealth needs to be at the forefront of Labour’s economic policy and it’s worrying that, when asked if they would increase budgets nationally, they give our members word-salad answers.”