Chancellor Alistair Darling tells Capital pupils the council has let you down

Mr Darling said he understood why parents felt angry over issues such as school closures and budget cuts because education chiefs in the Capital did not know what they were doing "from one day to the next".

The Chancellor was speaking during a visit to Balerno High School, which is in his Edinburgh South West constituency, to speak to S6 modern studies pupils.

He accused the council of breaking promises and letting parents down. He said: "You can't make promises you can't keep because people do get fed up and the Nationalists have that problem now, and equally the council here in Edinburgh has that problem.

"Their approach to schools in Edinburgh has been chaotic.

"It's not surprising that parents are feeling the way they are.

"Every organisation needs to make difficult decisions, but when you don't know from one day to the next what you are doing, that causes the problems."

Mr Darling joined pupils in a debate on issues ranging from equipment for troops in Afghanistan and the expenses scandal to euthanasia and the sacking of the UK's chief drug adviser Professor David Nutt.

Pupils gave him a particular grilling over his opposition to Scottish independence. But he said: "At a time when right around the world we are trying to break down barriers, to put up barriers between us and the rest of the UK would be daft."

He also had a lively debate with pupils on the issue of euthanasia, on the back of Margo MacDonald's assisted dying Bill. He said: "When you get a situation where somebody is terminally ill, it's better left to the doctor's judgement, in consultation with the patient and relatives.

"I have spoken to Margo MacDonald about her Bill and for very obvious reasons she feels very strongly and I respect her views. But, having been a lawyer, I think it's fraught with difficulties."

Speaking after the hour-long question and answer session with the pupils, the Chancellor praised their knowledge of current affairs.

He said: "I was asked some very perceptive and searching questions. One of the things I've noticed over the years is that school students are becoming much more confident."

Pupil Jake Pointer, 17, said: "I was really impressed with the way he answered the questions because I felt he kept to the point and didn't patronise us at all.

"We had MSPs in on Monday to do a question time event and we felt they didn't answer our questions properly.

"I liked his point about euthanasia and I started to see it from another point of view."

Headteacher Rory Mackenzie, headteacher, added: "I think it's really important for kids to get a political perspective and meet with politicians."

City education leader Councillor Marilyne MacLaren said: "It's too easy for Mr Darling to sweep in from London and take a cheap shot at Edinburgh.

"Attainment levels are rising in Edinburgh and we have invested heavily in new schools and upgrades.

"Our city has an education service to be proud of and we will continue to prioritise our schools despite difficult financial circumstances."

School cuts 'to the detriment of education'

PARENTS have hit out at a decision by the city council to cut school budgets.

Every school in the city will see a one per cent reduction in its devolved budget from April.

Tina Woolnough, chair of the Royal High School Parent Council, said that the cut will be "to the detriment of children's education."

They said that the 250,000 increase in school's supplies and services budget is not enough.

Pauline Lindsay, chair of the Blackhall Primary School Parent Council, said: "Supplies budgets in schools are not adequate and are generally supplemented by parent fundraising. We do not feel that this is adequate."

Education leader Marilyne MacLaren said the council had listened to suggestions and reduced the cut from 2.5 per cent. She said the one per cent cut will have a "minimal impact" on schools.

Voluntary groups have also criticised the budget, which will include 41 million of savings.

The Edinburgh Network of Voluntary Organisations for Children, Young People and Families said they will result in the "mass withdrawal" of voluntary expertise in more than 30 areas.