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The TalkRADIO host clashed with Labour councillor Tamoor Tariq after she branded his Bury council team “a bunch of idiots” for ignoring Government’s advice to reopen schools as one of the first measures in the easing of coronavirus lockdown rules. As the Labour politician urged Ms Hartley-Brewer to apologise for her comments, she insisted: “I said that Bury council were a bunch of idiots for a very simple reason.

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“If you are ignoring the medical and scientific evidence which is very clear from many different countries that have reopened schools, including Sweden who had their schools open all this time, the World Health Organisation’s chief scientists and the chief medical officer of this country, and you’re ignoring it because ‘oh I’m not sure and some parents and teachers might not like it’, then yes, you’re a bunch of idiots.”

As the Labour councillor claimed the radio host was being hypocritical, she hit again: “Do you know what the word hypocritical means?”

He replied: “Let me be honest, if we have managed to get your opinions that’s opposite to ours then we wholeheartedly have made the right decision.

“I’m convinced this morning more than ever that we made the right decision.

“And it’s a badge of honour for hypocrites like you to call out our policy.”

It comes as a decision on whether schools will return next month is likely to be made this week, Downing Street hinted in a briefing with reporters on Monday.

Former Prime Minister Tony Blair became the latest high profile figure to intervene in the row over whether schools should return next month.

Prime Minister Mr Johnson, in his address to the nation on May 10, said Reception, Y1 and Y6 pupils would start to return from June 1.

But the proposal has come in for criticism from teaching unions and councils, with Bury Council the latest to rule-out reopening its schools by the target date.

Mr Blair, who was in Downing Street for a decade, said the Government was “right” to be following both the scientific advice and the lead set by other nations.

Schools, colleges and nurseries closed eight weeks ago due to the coronavirus outbreak, remaining open only for vulnerable youngsters and the children of key workers.

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But the latest Government figures show that only around 14 percent of vulnerable children, those with a social worker or an education, health and care plan in England, are attending school.

The Government will allocate £10 million in funding to help parents educate and look after disabled or critically ill children who are at home more than usual amid school closures.

Children with SEND will benefit from £37.3 million of direct support in 2020-21, which will reach more than 75,000 families in England, the Department for Education (DfE) has said.

The money will go from the Government to charity the Family Fund Trust, who will distribute it to qualifying families via grants.

The funding package will also help low-income families with seriously ill or disabled children with the cost of equipment, goods or services – including washing machines and sensory equipment.

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