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Tory pledge re-affirms 30 hours of weekly childcare and funding review

The battle over childcare has intensified between the Conservative and Labour parties as the election draws near.

Prime Minister David Cameron today re-announced the party’s policy to give three- and four-year-olds of working families 30 hours of free childcare a week from 2017.

It follows the launch of the party’s manifesto last week.

The 30 hours of childcare would be paid for by restricting pension tax relief for people with incomes of over £150,0000 per year.

However, the Labour party has claimed that the Conservatives’ figures do not add up.

Speaking today in Bedfordshire, Mr Cameron said the policy would provide over 600,000 extra free childcare places for families every year.

‘In the next Parliament we will double the free childcare hours to 30 a week, worth £5,000 to working families,' he said.

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