Education Secretary defends holidays in Spain as concrete crisis unfolds

Sign up to receive the email View from Westminster for Expert Analytics straight to your inboxReceive our free View from Westminster emailPlease enter a valid email addressPlease enter a valid email addressI would like to receive offers, events and updates by email day of The Independent. Read our privacy notice{{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later.{{ /verifyErrors }>

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan has defended family holidays in Spain as the crumbling concrete crisis hitting schools unfolds.

The Cabinet Minister said on Monday that she was "still working remotely" and continued to chair a response team while on the mainland for her father's birthday.< /p>

Aides had admitted she was in Spain between August 25 and Thursday, when more than 100 schools were ordered to close.

The Education Secretary said on Monday she had "always worked remotely"

(via REUTERS )

< p>Her vacation came as Ms Keegan was under pressure after she was caught on the mic suggesting 'everyone just sat on their asses and did nothing' as she was addressing the crisis.

Ministers said they were taking action after receiving new evidence regarding Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (Raac) over the summer.

Ms Keegan said the trip to Spain - where she reportedly owns property in Madrid and Marbella - was her first opportunity to go on holiday this summer. after dealing with striking teachers, as well as GCSE and A-level results.

She told Sky's Politics Hub: 'I don't expect anyone feel sorry for me I definitely don't get that vibe from you but what I had planned was to go on vacation that day for my dad's birthday it was a family occasion and we went.”

The minister said she was leading an intervention team from Spain “every day” despite holidays.

She said that she had "always worked remotely" throughout her career, in business before becoming an MP, and said she planned to return if the inquiries raised concerns.

"I am came back right away – in fact, I had to wait a day because of the air traffic control problem,” she added.

The total or partial closure of 104 schools and colleges in England because of Raac was announced with a press release on Thursday afternoon.

Ms Keegan, according to her aides, was in her department overseeing the release of the guidelines that day before she talk to broadcasters in the evening.

A department. ..