SHIPLEY MP Philip Davies has condemned his future election rival for supporting last week’s student protest over climate change.

Last Friday, thousands of teenagers from across the country walked out of school to protest against the Government over climate change, urging politicians to do more to save the environment.

On Twitter, Labour’s parliamentary candidate for Shipley, Jo Pike, gave her support to the students, a move which incumbent Conservative MP Philip Davies criticised.

Mr Davies said Ms Pike was “condoning truancy” and had “little regard for education, despite being a teaching lecturer”.

However, Ms Pike has hit back, telling Mr Davies he is “no defender of young people or education”, and also pointed out to Mr Davies she is no longer a university lecturer.

Mr Davies said: “When we have a situation in this country when people standing for office are condoning truancy we clearly have a problem.

“What is worse is that Ms Pike is a senior lecturer in childhood and education at Leeds Beckett University – someone who is educating the next generation clearly has little regard for education.

“I am not saying people cannot protest or have a right to free speech but we are clear in this country that young people legally have to go to school and for someone that wants to be in a position of responsibility to think such behaviours are acceptable is extremely worrying.

“There was no reason this protest could not have been held at a weekend which then would allow the students to have their say but also get the education that teachers work so hard to provide.

“People can hold whatever views they want to and I am a strong believer in freedom of speech. However Ms Pike is sending out the wrong message to young people that they can do as they like, when they like.”

On Friday, Ms Pike tweeted: “Solidarity to all the young people taking part in #schoolstrike4climate today. They are the future and they demand action now.”

Responding to Mr Davies’ comments, Ms Pike said: “It’s good to see that Philip Davies is finally paying attention to climate change.

“Climate change is the single biggest threat to the future of the planet and yet Philip Davies consistently votes against measures to protect the environment.

“He has chosen to ignore scientific evidence but perhaps he will now listen to the young people.

“Let’s be clear: Philip Davies is no defender of young people or education. He has consistently voted in favour of academisation, which has seen one school in Shipley Constituency lose almost £176,000.

“He has voted to remove Education Maintenance Allowance from sixteen to nineteen year-olds. Philip needs to understand that education also takes place outside the classroom and when politicians fail to listen to the people, it is inevitable that people will make their voices heard in other ways.”

Ms Pike added: “I stand in solidarity with all the young people who took part in the School Strike 4 Climate.

“A Labour Government would tackle the climate crisis using the full power of the state to decarbonise the economy and create hundreds of thousands of green jobs in struggling towns and cities across the UK.”