It seems the Government is fiercely determined to destroy the future of our country’s young people.

The latest is the scrapping of the school sports partnership, an initiative introduced by Labour when in office.

It was a tremendous initiative, which brought competitive sport to young people for the first time for a generation.

The Labour government came to office in 1997 facing a generation of children gripped by lethargy and obesity, due in large part to the Tories selling school playing fields to the highest bidder, which led to the abandonment of school sport, the place where young people traditionally received their exercise.

When the last Conservative government left office in 1997, only one in four children at state schools was given the statutory minimum of two hours’ PE per week.

By the time Labour left office this year, this figure had reached 95 per cent.

This was all organised for each area under the banner of the 449 school sports partnerships.

In our area there are two school sports partnerships which have been scrapped without warning, covering Colchester and Tendering.

Education Secretary Michael Gove spoke about protecting the “Olympic legacy”.

However, in not only scrapping the partnerships, but also the rules that state each child should have a guaranteed two hours’ PE a week, Mr Gove has flushed the future of our children’s health alongside the so-called “Olympic legacy” down the plughole.

All for the sake of a paltry £162million. School sport and our children’s health and futures have been sent back to where they were under the last Tory government. Nowhere and with no future.

As can be seen by the improvements this initiative and our Labour government proudly had on developing the health, competitiveness and sporting prowess of our youth, it is only a Labour government that can deliver on this issue.

This Government has only contempt for our children and their future.

Keith Henderson
Clacton Labour Party
parliamentary spokesman
Meredith Road
Clacton