Tony Blair helps out in Sedgefield

Sedgefield

Labour local man and candidate Phil Wilson accompanied Tony Blair to Greenfield School Community and Arts College in Newton Aycliffe today.

They were taken on a tour of a new sports hall and watched teenagers playing table tennis, practising on the trampoline and sparring in a boxing ring.

Tony Blair praised the school in his former constituency as he continued campaigning for his Labour successor in the Sedgefield by-election.

"I am really thrilled to be here," the former Prime Minister told staff and students.

"The last time I was here it was in the first stages of construction. This is a fantastic facility. It is one of 2,000 around the country that have been built just recently.

"The whole purpose is to make sports for young people part of their daily lives again. I always think that physical fitness is part of mental fitness and you need the right level of fitness to lead good healthy lives."

Mr Blair added: "It is a matter of great pride for me, who used to be the constituency MP, to see this school doing so well."

Phil Wilson said:

“Each child in County Durham last year had an extra £1,320 spent per head on their education thanks to a Labour Government and Labour investment. We can see this across the area with new schools and refurbished class rooms.

“But more importantly we can see the result of this extra money in what matters, which are the results achieved by our kids. In 1997 less than 31% of our kids got 5 good GCSE’s and now over 60% achieve this result or better.

“This is great for our kids, for all our families and for the area and these kids deserve our continued support.”

Sedgefield Labour