A school play has been referred to a Government Minister after an MP complained it was “propaganda”.

Philip Davies wrote to the Education Secretary after reading about a production on climate change that was touring schools in Yorkshire and Lancashire.

Michael Gove replied, agreeing there was no place for propaganda and promising to “slim down” the national curriculum.

Whether climate change should be taught in schools is under debate as the Government looks to slash the size of the curriculum.

Its advisor has previously said lessons should stick to core scientific principles and not include global warming.

But this has led to fears that science teaching is being “politicised” and could lose its relevance to modern life.

The play, called Nor Any Drop, was written by former Keighley man Nick Ahad, who based it on his experiences visiting his father's birthplace in Bangladesh.

It follows the lives of five characters connected by the effects of climate change in the UK and Bangladesh.

Shipley MP Mr Davies, a climate change sceptic, sent Mr Gove a copy of the Keighley News, a sister paper of the Telegraph & Argus, which carried a story about the play with a note saying: “I understood following our discussion that climate change propaganda was stopping?”

Mr Gove responded: “I agree with you entirely that propaganda, for political purpose, should have no place in schools.”

Regarding the forthcoming review of the national curriculum, he said: “It is our intention that it is slimmed down so that it properly reflects the body of essential knowledge in key subjects that children need to learn.”