MPs' fury at Brown 'spin machine'

The row started after Downing Street press office staff contacted five newspapers across the country - including the Telegraph & Argus - indicating that Gordon Brown was planning to praise a local school in each area in his first major speech on education since becoming Prime Minister.

The T&A was told that Victoria Primary School, in Keighley, could be praised for its efforts in involving parents in their children's education.

The press office then e-mailed a quotation about the school which, they said, may be included in the speech.

However, the same information was also given to four other newspapers about successful schools in their areas using almost exactly the same words of praise in exactly the same part of Mr Brown's speech. But the final speech, made last Wednesday, failed to mention any of the five schools, leading to a national furore about the tactics of Downing Street's "spin machine".

Keighley Labour MP Ann Cryer said she would be taking the matter up with Mr Brown today and she branded the incident a "complete mess".

She said: "Whatever was sent out in the press release Gordon should have been bound to say.

"I am not going to let this lie. It is a complete dog's dinner. When things like this impact on my constituency and schools I have a good relationship with, someone at Number 10 needs to take responsibility."

Mrs Cryer also criticised Downing Street for not informing MPs if their areas were set to be mentioned.

She said: "This is just the sort of thing that comes between MPs and their schools. We cannot just dabble around."

Shipley Conservative MP Philip Davies said he was not surprised by the pattern of events.

He said: "Gordon Brown is the worst politician I have ever come across for spin, far worse than Tony Blair ever was.

"I think the tragic thing is that to use schools and teachers as spin is unacceptable."

David Laws, the Liberal Democrat spokesman on education, has demanded an apology from the Prime Minister claiming he had deceived the schools.

But a Downing Street spokesman said: "It was never suggested the schools in question would be mentioned in the Prime Minister's speech, draft or otherwise.

"However, that does not detract from the fact these schools have excellent proven engagement programmes which is exactly the theme of the PM's speech.

"Far from being cynical, we believe it is right that the Prime Minister recognises their work, which in this instance he did via supportive messages in their local papers."

Perry Austin-Clarke, editor of the T&A, said: "Our reporter is absolutely clear that the press office said the quote could be used in the speech but that there was no guarantee. On that basis, we published a brief story stating that the school was 'expected to be cited' by the PM.

"We would never publish a speculative story as if it had actually happened but I understand that the other local papers say they were given the distinct impression that the quotes would be in the speech and went ahead with more fulsome articles on that basis.

"The simple fact is that on the basis of what we were told by the Downing Street press office Gordon Brown would have had to repeat the same part of the speech five times, praising five different schools, which seems to me to be a very cynical way of trying to manipulate the local press. I'm delighted we didn't fall for it."

Kay Lindsey, the head teacher at Victoria Primary, said she had been sent Mr Brown's quotes praising her school in advance of his speech.

She said: "In the section of the speech we received before it was delivered, our school is clearly mentioned in terms of our work on parental involvement."

But she refused to be drawn into the criticism of Downing Street.

"I'm pleased we have been recognised whether in public or in what was written by the PM or written for him," she said.

"Whether it was said in public is not really the issue. We are delighted that people in high places have noted the work we are doing and whether the words were uttered or not is not relevant."