David Cameron defends decision to cut £138m on schools

Prime Minister David Cameron has defended scrapping £138 million for rebuilding Sandwell's schools, saying he is "clearing up the mess" left by Labour.

On a visit to the region yesterday, he said Education Secretary Michael Gove had apologised for mistakenly telling borough headteachers that schools would get all the cash needed for rebuilding schemes before it was later revealed that they would not.

He said Mr Gove would be meeting Sandwell councillors tomorrow to thrash out the finer details.

He said: "If there is anyone who owes Sandwell an apology it is the last government who left it in a mess."

Mr Cameron visited the Institute of Engineering and Technology in Birmingham before heading to Indian spice factory East End Foods in West Bromwich yesterday to deliver his message of austerity.

As he toured their warehouses of East End Foods in Kenrick Way he defended the savage cuts that have left Sandwell £155m worse off, according to the borough council.

It is the first time any Conservative MP has visited the borough since the bungled Building Schools for the Future announcement on July 6. Grants for roadworks, housing, and regeneration projects have also been scrapped since the coalition Government came into power in May.

He said: "I share parents' anger that after 13 years of a Labour government they have still got school buildings that aren't good enough.

"There is a meeting taking place between Michael Gove and Sandwell Council this week. But, to be clear, this problem is caused by the last government who cut capital spending by 50 per cent but they did not tell anyone where the cuts were gong to fall. They were totally dishonest."

Tom Watson MP, who represents West Bromwich East, today responded to the Prime Minster's saying: "That is an evasive answer which really helps nobody.

"There is a story today that the Premier League wants to set up a school purely for elite footballers, which would be funded by the tax payer.

"Any rational and fair minded person should see that Sandwell should be the priority."

East End Foods, headed up by Tony Deep Wouhra MBE, has a £100m annual turnover and is Britain's biggest distributor of spices, pulses and rice, all produced from 225,000 small farms across India.

It is also the company behind the redevelopment of the site of Birmingham's former HP Sauce factory, where they are building a £20 million hotel and cash and carry.