Teachers vow to press on with strike plan

NUT leader Christine Blower has been explaining why teachers' unions are pressing ahead with industrial action, despite a letter from the education secretary ruling out any retreat over changes to teachers' pensions and performance pay.

The two biggest teachers' unions in England, the NUT and the Nasuwt, are gathering for their annual conferences.

Ms Blower accused Mr Gove of "saying there's no room for discussion. He or his advisors have put the DFE on a war footing with teachers".

She denied that industrial action would alienate the public, "This is not about pay levels, this is about having a coherent pay structure."