Ed Balls MP, Labour's Schools Secretary, today called on David Cameron and Michael Gove to come clean about the Conservative Party's plans for cuts to education spending.

Ed Balls has today written to the shadow schools secretary Michael Gove for the fifth time since the start of April to ask whether the Conservatives would match Labour's extra spending to guarantee a place in school, college, training or an apprenticeship for every 16 and 17 year old who wants to stay on in education this year and next year.

Ed Balls MP said:

"Michael Gove and David Cameron are silent on whether they would protect school budgets from 2010 and whether they would match our extra funding to guarantee every 16 and 17 year who wants to stay in a place in school, college or an apprenticeship.

"Now we hear that behind the scenes they are planning school funding cuts of over 10% which could see almost 45,000 teachers laid off. Voters face a clear choice - between Labour investment in education and cuts at the worst possible time.

"Jim Knight and I have written to Michael Gove five times asking him to explain what the Tories would do. It's now time for Michael Gove to respond to my letters and come clean about what Tory cuts to education would really mean."