Teaching jobs 'held in higher esteem' under Labour

Chief Secretary to the Treasury Liam Byrne has claimed that teaching jobs under a Labour government have been held in higher regard than ever before.

During an interview with the BBC, Mr Byrne also claimed that standards within the education sector have increased across the UK, with higher quality people employed in teaching jobs and improved school buildings.

He told the Daily Politics: "My mum used to be a teacher [so] I remember what being a teacher was like in the 1980s and frankly it was pretty awful.

"Now teaching is the number one choice of profession for people coming out of university; […] we pay teachers more and we value them more."

The Treasury minister added that Tony Blair's famous New Labour prioritisation of "education, education, education" still rings true of the government today.

Mr Byrne has previously served as Minister of State for Police and Counter-Terrorism within the government.

Posted by Alan Douglas

Published On 11/03/2010