THE Tory government’s failure to invest in children has united the teaching profession “as never before,” the National Education Union (NEU) stressed today as tens of thousands of its members across England downed tools once again. 

In a stirring speech to striking teachers outside Downing Street, joint general secretary Kevin Courtney said: “We have a high moral purpose and we are going to win.

“We are mad as hell and aren’t going to put up with this any more. We are demanding that this government invests in this generation of children.”

Last week, the NEU joined with fellow teachers’ union NASUWT and school leaders’ unions NAHT and the Association of School and College Leaders in pledging to co-ordinate future walkouts after all four of the country’s education unions overwhelmingly rejected Westminster’s latest below-inflation wage offer.

Under-pressure Education Secretary Gillian Keegan has attempted to turn parents largely supportive of the industrial action against the workforce by highlighting the disruption caused to primaries, secondaries and colleges during the six-month dispute. 

Mr Courtney said that he sympathised with concerns but accused ministers of failing to fix the serious problems that austerity-hit and short-staffed schools face every day.

“We are standing against much wider disruption that is happening all the time and we are trying to get the government to pay attention and to do something about it,” he said.

He spoke out after protesting teachers held a minute’s silence against Whitehall’s “toxic and damaging effect” on the sector. 

Outside the Department for Education, they turned their backs to the building and raised their fists for 60 seconds, before bursting into cheers and boos. 

The demo followed a march across Westminster Bridge, where strikers held placards reading: “I’ve seen smarter cabinets in Ikea,” “I’d rather be teaching but this is important” and “If you can read this thank a teacher.”

Labour MP for Liverpool and Riverside Kim Johnson told them: “Four million children in this country are living in poverty.

“This government tells us they have got no money, but we know that this is a lie. They found money to give tax cuts to the wealthiest while our children starve.

“The workers united will never be defeated.”

Further walkouts in Scotland and Wales have been avoided after unions accepted much-improved deals from devolved SNP and Labour ministers respectively.