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More than 10 million books have been axed from libraries across England since the Tories came to power.

Brutal Tory cuts have led to nearly a million children’s books lost.

The total number of books that can be borrowed in English public libraries has fallen from more than 58 million in 2010 to more than 48 million in 2019, a reduction of 17%.

This figure includes a cut of 914,243 in children’s non-fiction books, and 26,742 in ­children’s fiction, according to research commissioned from the House of Commons Library by the Labour shadow culture team.

Shadow Culture Minister Kevin Brennan said: “Libraries are precious community assets, but a decade of Tory austerity cuts to council budgets has taken its toll on local services.”

(Image: Getty)

More than 800 libraries have closed their doors across the UK since 2010.

National spending on library services was £1billion in 2009/10 but dropped to under £750million in the last year.

The Government said the figures disguise the increase in lending of e-books but many of the poorest families will not have access to the e-readers needed.

Provision of mobile libraries open for more than 10 hours a week in England is down by 73%.