Ashfield Brexit Party hopeful wants better school opportunities for working class white kids

Martin Daubney, who will represent Nigel Farage's outfit in the December 12 election, has said children from white, working class demographics are "at the bottom of the pile" when it comes to education - something he says he is "very passionate" about.

Mr Daubney, who was once the editor of the Loaded 'lads mag', says he has campaigned for education reforms "long before" getting into politics because he believes education "liberates" the working classes.

Figures from the admissions service Ucas show that in terms of numbers, white people from all social backgrounds make up the largest group of university students and nearly half of all students at further education colleges.

But in proportion to the population, young white people are less likely to go to university than black or Asian teenagers.

The University of Cambridge and Oxford University were among the institutions accepting the smallest number of white students from low-participation neighbourhoods, while the Royal Agricultural University in Cirencester has none.

Sheffield Hallam University accepted the greatest number of poorer white students, closely followed by Liverpool John Moores and Teesside.

Speaking on a campaigning event with Nigel Farage, Mr Daubney said tackling this issue is a "top priority" for him if elected next month.

He said: "My stance on education has always been robust and clear way before I got into politics, and it is this: the white working classes are the least likely demographic in the UK to go to university.

"They perform the lowest of any demographic in the UK. Of the same social background, white kids perform worse than black kids, Asian kids and Chinese kids, who are at the top.

"Nobody gives a monkeys about these people and the forgotten communities. Who is sticking up for these people?

"At the bottom of this pile are boys. And guess what, these are the communities that smashed the Brexit vote. If you ignore these people for long enough, they will find a voice and they did with Brexit.

"If I ever get a chance I will campaign for these forgotten communities. Education liberates the working classes, yet nobody in Westminster cares.

"If I get into parliament, my solemn pledge is to continue the fight for the working class children who need special attention. We are paralysed and its because of diversity."

Mr Daubney will stand in the election against Councillor Lee Anderson, of the Conservatives, Coun Jason Zadrozny, of the Ashfield Independents, Natalie Fleet, of Labour, Becky Wain of the Liberal Democrats and Rose Woods of the Green Party.