Teachers on strike to target the political backyards of Rishi Sunak and Gillian Keegan

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Striking teachers must target the political backyards of Rishi Sunak and Education Secretary Gillian Keegan in the next stage of their campaign for a pay rise .

Protests are planned in the Prime Minister's and Ms Keegan's constituencies later this month. They will coincide with the next round of walkouts, which will target regional areas one by one, starting with schools in and around Yorkshire where Mr Sunak is the local MP.

Kevin Courtney, the co- General Secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), said: “These politicians (Mr Sunak and Ms Keegan) are making decisions that impact the education of every child. And it is important that they realize this. We want the public and our members to report the reality of the situation in our schools to the politicians who make these decisions. "

The Independent has been told that the rallies were recently raised during a meeting between unions and the Department for Education on the strikes. Sources said that Ms Keegan had asked union leaders: ‘Are you the ones organizing the protest in my constituency?

As it steps up its campaign, the NEU is also urging parents to contact their local MP to demand more investment in their child's education An estimated 200,000 teachers walked out earlier this month when the NEU called a nationwide strike and walked out all its members in England and Wales. /p>

The next stage of strikes will in turn target regional areas.The first, on February 28, will include the Prime Minister's constituency of Richmond in Yorkshire.A rally is also to be held at his headquarters as the union is trying to get its message across to its voters.

The next day there will be walkouts across the Midlands, while the final day of the three-day action will target London and the south and feature what the union hopes will be a big protest at Chichester where Ms Keegan is the incumbent MP.

The union has announced a seven-day strike...