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Cuts to English for foreigners courses spark lobby of MPs

TEACHERS and students will descend on Parliament tomorrow to lobby against “perverse” cuts to English language courses.

In July, the government cut off funding for a £45 million programme of English courses for speakers of foreign languages that had been run with jobcentres.

“It’s perverse to make such an enormous cut to English language courses,” said University and College Union general secretary Sally Hunt.

“There are waiting lists for these courses because refugees, asylum-seekers and others want a better chance of getting work and fully participating in British society.”

Colleges across the country are already cancelling the classes.

Bradford College is cutting a third of Esol classes, costing nine jobs, while 25 posts are for the chop at Ealing, Hammersmith and West London College, where two-thirds of the courses are being axed.

Lobbyists will meet at noon in Parliament Square and the lobby will take place in committee room 10 from 1pm. Speakers include UCU president Liz Lawrence and shadow international development secretary Diane Abbott.

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