Education Secretary Estelle Morris today revealed her Christmas present for the people of Swindon absolutely nothing.

The Evening Advertiser has lobbied for months through the Fair Deal for Schools campaign for more money for the borough's children.

Today we print a joint letter from all three of the town's political leaders in Swindon asking for extra. But still Swindon, the worst funded unitary authority in the country for education, has nothing to show for its efforts.

So our local education authority, already dubbed failing by Government inspectors, has no means of hauling itself out of the mire.

And children like Ellen McGlashan and Louise Greenough can expect to lose out as they embark on the long, arduous journey through the schools system. They deserve better, and we intend to keep fighting on their behalf.

We will pursue Ms Morris at every opportunity, and we will insist that our MPs Michael Wills and Julia Drown lobby their Labour colleagues on behalf of their constituents.

We pride ourselves on being willing to stick our neck out to support issues we believe in.

The Fair Deal for Schools Campaign will continue. The future of our children is at stake.