'Exotic' MP Fabricant stands up for Staffordshire schools in Parliament
Colourful politician Michael Fabricant was described as 'exotic, but never boring' during a debate in Parliament on school funding.
The Lichfield MP raised the question of the unfairness of the post-code lottery when it came to handing funds to Staffordshire schools.
He asked Education Secretary Nicky Morgan on Monday what steps she was taking to ensure a more equal allocation of funding per pupil throughout England before addressing the Commons Speaker, John Bercow.
Mr Fabricant said: "Schools in Staffordshire receive about £320 less per pupil than the English average.
"At the risk of boring you, Mr Speaker, I raised this matter in 1992, and I raised it again during Prime Minister's questions with Tony Blair, who was very sympathetic but also did nothing, and when I raised it in the previous Parliament, I was told that it was being blocked by the 'wicked Liberals' and David Laws.
"Well, now we are in government, so what are we going to do about it and when will it happen?"
Mr Bercow replied: "The hon. Gentleman might be considered exotic, but never boring - not by the chair anyway." Nicky Morgan 'entirely agreed' with the description.
On the subject of funding, she said the Minister for Schools recently met colleagues in Staffordshire to discuss school funding.
She said the government had protected the per-pupil funding in Staffordshire so that schools will continue to receive the additional £130,000 they received in 2015-16 but wanted to make 'further progress.'
