What is really going on in politics? Get our daily email briefing straight to your inbox Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

When it comes to the subject of schools, this Government can’t learn its lessons.

Earlier this month it was revealed that a school built without sprinklers had burned down.

Now it is being replaced by a new building, which won’t have sprinklers either. And that isn’t just a one-off. This week ministers admitted to me that 70 per cent of new schools don’t have sprinklers.

If the definition of stupidity is making the same mistake over and over again, then Theresa May must be glad that they’ve abolished the dunce’s cap.

Incredibly, ministers had tried to ­weaken the safety rules so even fewer sprinklers were installed, until we forced them to do another U-turn after the horrific fire at Grenfell Tower, itself next to a school with no sprinklers.

(Image: Getty Images Europe)

It’s hard to believe this isn’t driven by cuts. Lower safety standards make things cheaper but not safer or better. We see the ­consequences in school buildings across the country.

Since Grenfell, schools have found the same flammable cladding on their buildings, but the Government won’t provide funding to remove it. Others are still paying for the last mistake in fire safety, asbestos, which they can’t afford to remove.

Tory cuts have prevented the maintenance of too many existing schools, let alone building new ones, leaving children to learn in crumbling classrooms.

Even a Tory MP was shocked when she visited her local academy recently and a pupil was struck by a piece of debris. Thankfully, the child wasn’t hurt, but no parent should have to rely on luck when it comes to safety.

That is why, as Labour’s shadow education ­secretary, I am proud to say that we will invest the full £14billion that is needed to bring all school buildings up to standard.

Within that, we will put money aside to make sure schools are safe, remove flammable cladding and asbestos, and install sprinklers.

We will also close the loopholes that let developers get away with anything less in new schools.

Parents want a lots of things for their kids, but above all we want them to be safe.

Nothing is more important than that.