Click here for Filini's great offer for Stirrer readers

AUSCHWITZ "GIMMICK" ROW EMBARRASSES CAMERON

23-02-2008

The Conservatives are furiously back-pedalling after David Cameron branded government-funded school trips to Auschwitz as a “gimmick”. Apparently, he only meant to criticise the government’s funding.

Either way, the row is a huge embarrassment for the Tory leader, who made the comments in a speech in Bolton yesterday.

His spin doctors are busy pointing out that the government’s recently announced funding of £4.65 million – aimed at ensuring that every school can send two youngsters a year to visit the Nazi death camp – will need topping up, to the tune of £100 per child.

The Conservatives say they’ll fund the trips in full, but that hasn’t stopped a full-scale onslaught from senior Labour figures including Wolverhampton MP Pat McFadden and Lord Janner, Chair of the Holocaust Educational Trust, which organises the jaunts.

Karen Pollock, the Trust’s Chief Executive commented: “We do not want to be involved in party politics.

“The Holocaust Educational Trust has been running the Lessons from Auschwitz Project for a number of years. Since we have received Government funding, we have been able to offer two students from every secondary and sixth form college in the country, the opportunity to visit the former Nazi camps of Auschwitz-Birkenau in Poland.

“Often participants describe the experience as life-changing. We have already taken over 5000 students on this Project and the renewed Government funding announced this year will enable us to take over 15,000 pupils nationwide up to 2011.

“On their return, students use their experience to raise awareness of the lessons of the Holocaust in their schools and local communities, challenging prejudice and racism today and demonstrating how positive action can make a difference in their own communities. This is such a worthwhile project and we are very grateful for the Government’s support.”

To check out The Stirrer’s report on a visit to Auschwitz with the Holocaust Educational Trust, click here

And for the picture gallery, click here