Outraged MP Grahame Morris slammed Michael Gove's claim that teachers are "enemies of promise" yesterday and revealed that Durham kids are taught in the cold after cash was robbed for one of the Education Secretary's flagship free schools.

Mr Gove claimed at the Tory conference on Tuesday that teachers were "striking against the growth and potential of poor children."

But Mr Morris revealed how classrooms in one local school in his Easington constituency have leaking ceilings and no heating after a move to new buildings was cancelled.

Council-led Seaham School of Technology was due to get a new site under the last government's Building Schools for the Future programme.

But Mr Gove scrapped the scheme and used the cash to fund free schools after taking power in 2010.

And millions of pounds are now being splashed on new buildings for a free school in east Durham which has just 31 pupils and nine teachers.

Mr Morris said that this proved Mr Gove's agenda has "nothing to do with the progression or welfare of children."

He told the Morning Star: "If you contrast the lack of resources in the state sector with the unlimited resources available to his free schools pet project, it's just an injustice.

"They're not free, there's a huge cost and it's borne by state schools.

"Their funding is drawn into free schools, which would otherwise be going to provide new schools where the existing ones are dilapidated."

The MP took a delegation including Seaham head teacher David Shield to see Schools Minister David Laws but were told they would have to wait at least two years before a deal could be struck with City privateers to build a new school under the private finance initiative.

National Union of Teachers Durham secretary Trevor Blacklock explained how the wait for a new school is affecting pupils results.

He said: "The results from Seaham school are not the best in the county but all of the other secondary schools have had new buildings.

"As a consequence, all of those schools are showing very marked improvements in their exam results.

"It's built up their enthusiasm and optimism, while Seaham is left out on a limb."