THE control of Darwen’s high schools sparked an angry backlash among people gathered to hear from the town’s would-be MPs.

The six politicians present at the hustings were asked if the Aldridge Foundation running three secondary’s was good for education and children in the town.

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Their responses provoked a heated response from the audience.

Labour candidate Will Straw said it was not the best way forward.

He criticised the government and Aldridge Foundation for pressing ahead with the conversion of Darwen Vale High School into an academy, despite opposition.

Tory councillors and supporters responded with cat calls and jeers.

Conservative candidate Jake Berry agreed the foundation’s control of Darwen Vale, DACA and the Enterprise Studio School was not ideal.

He provoked an angry response from Labour councillors when he said: “However there was a monopoly on secondary schools in the town controlled by Blackburn with Darwen Council. That failed those schools, parents and children.

“What we have now with the Aldridge Foundation is better for the pupils.”

Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition candidate, Simon Thomas, and the Green Party’s Karen Pollard-Rylance called for all primary and secondary education to be returned to local council control.

UKIPs Clive Balchin and Blackburn Liberal Democrat candidate Gordon Lishman warned against over-simplified solutions.

The question of whether MPs should take second jobs also excited the 50-strong audience.

Mr Straw, Mrs Pollard-Rylance, and Mr Balchin all said they should not.

Mr Thomas said he would only take his current wage rather than the MP salary.

Mr Lishman said MPs should not take paid jobs but should be allowed to take unpaid ones.

Mr Berry said MPs should be able to keep jobs they already had if they needed to keep professional qualifications up to date.