Hundreds of teachers have protested at Parliament over the decision to axe a £55 million school building programme in England.

More than 700 projects have been halted, following Education Secretary Michael Gove's announcement two weeks ago that the Building Schools for the Future programme was being scrapped.

Teaching unions have been further angered by government plans to rush through the new Academies Bill instead.

Protestors from the NASUWT teachers' unions, the NUT, Association of Teachers and Lecturers, GMB, UNISON and Unite were lobbying MPs on Monday morning, before gathering for a rally at Westminster Central Hall, where the speakers included Shadow Education Secretary, Ed Balls.

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Christine Lewis, UNISON's National Officer for Education, said: "The Government is behaving recklessly by halting the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme without consulting schools or local authorities.

"Some projects will see their funding completely cut off, which will cause chaos in vulnerable communities that are struggling to pull themselves out of recession.

"At the same time that they are making savage cuts, the Government is focusing all its efforts on rushing through the new Academies Bill.

"This will see academies benefit from capital investment, regardless of whether they are in areas of greatest need.

"The government needs to stop rushing and slashing and ask the public what they really want."

(KMcA/GK)