Lib Dem prospective parliamentary candidate for Deal and Dover claims the government plans to slash education funding by more than a quarter.

Schools, colleges and nurseries in Deal and Dover will be affected, Sarah Smith explained.

She says the Conservatives will cut the education budget by £319m in Kent by 2020 if they were in government on their own, research shows. The research is based on official House of Commons library figures.

Mrs Smith said: “They will make it harder for our young people to get the skills that lead to jobs and will damage the local economy.

"By committing to a budget surplus by 2020, giving away £7bn in unfunded tax cut and not raising taxes George Osborne’s axe will have to fall on education. This would be a disaster for local children.

“I believe education is crucial for building a stronger economy and a fairer society - one where every child has the opportunity to get on in life.”