WOKINGHAM MP Sir John Redwood is among a group of Tory politicians to call for more funding in education.

Ministers have been warned to help teachers provide more for their pupils, with Redwood blaming a lack of funds on the current climate.

Conservatives said MPs need to "put Brexit on the back burner" while the Wokingham politician insisted leaving without a deal would allow the Government to spend £39 billion "where it matters".

He said Wokingham and West Berkshire cannot provide "as varied and as richly resourced a curriculum as schools that are better endowed" due to a lack funding, before raising concerns over the support available for high needs pupils.

He believes there will be nine per cent more pupils needing such special support in West Berkshire this year and their budget has increased by 0.5 per cent, adding: "So I ask the minister, how does he think we manage to pay for all those extra pupils who need that extra support when the budget is so meanly set?"

Sir John noted he sees a "different world" in terms of library resources, range of curriculum offers, sporting facilities and more when visiting well-funded independent schools.

He went on: "I want the pupils who go to state schools in West Berkshire and Wokingham to have access to the best and we simply cannot do that on the current budget.

"Minister, this Government should stop trying to give £39 billion to the European Union to delay our exit for two to four years when the public voted to get out.

"Let's get hold of the money minister, let's put it where it matters, let's put it into social care, schools, let's have some tax cuts for hard-pressed families so they can provide more for their own children.

"That is what the public wants - get on with it, minister."

Robert Halfon, Conservative chairman of the Education Select Committee, called for a 10-year strategic plan and a five-year plan for education while Labour MPs also highlighted concerns.

Their remarks came before they approved a non-binding motion ,which asked the Government to increase funding provided to schools to cover the "additional services schools now perform for pupils".