Gillian Keegan sparked a fury from schools over the concrete crisis today as she blamed them for failing to ‘get off their backsides’.

The Education Secretary dramatically escalated the tit-for-tat with teachers as she vented frustration at delays in getting information about Raac in buildings.

After delivering an extraordinary foul-mouthed rant yesterday about not getting credit for doing a ‘f***ing good job’ responding to the chaos, Ms Keegan complained that 5 per cent of schools had still not responded to a questionnaire sent out by her department in March 2022.

She told Jeremy Vine on BBC Radio 2: ‘Now hopefully all this publicity will make them get off their backsides. But what I would like them to do is to respond because I want to be the Secretary of State that knows exactly in every school where there is Raac and takes action.’

Ms Keegan added: ‘We’ve written to them quite a few times and we’ve also set up a call centre to phone them up to ask them to do it and they still haven’t. So we have written to them yesterday and given them until the end of the week.’

Unions condemned the remarks as ‘outrageous’ and ‘petulant’, pointing out that schools did not usually have specialist staff who could identify Raac.

The minister has been scrambling to shore up her position after more than a hundred schools in England were told they could not fully open because of safety fears.

The backlash gathered pace yesterday after Ms Keegan was caught on camera griping about how the government was getting no credit for doing a ‘f***ing good job’ while everyone else ‘sat on their a***’.

She was subsequently sent out by No10 to issue a grovelling apology, saying she had been ‘frustrated’ by a line of questioning.

In an interview with Sky News‘ Politics Hub last night, Ms Keegan gave an embarrassed laugh as she was played the footage. Asked if she thought she was doing an ‘f***ing good job’ she replied: ‘I wasn’t talking about me actually, I was talking about the department.’  

Ms Keegan was also pressed by presenter Sophy Ridge over going on holiday to Spain last week as the crisis over Raac – a lightweight type of concrete widely used between the 1950s and 1990s – was about to erupt.

She said she had spent the ‘whole of the summer’ dealing with industrial action by teachers, A-level and GCSE results so the last week of August was her first opportunity to go away with family. 

‘I worked remotely on holiday as well,’ she said. ‘I chaired the Gold Team from there every day, made the decision, and I said if it looks like we are going to make a decision… then I will just come back, and I came back straight away.’

Ms Keegan said her return was delayed by a day due to the air traffic control system meltdown, but she was in the UK on Thursday to make the announcement that emergency mitigation measures were needed in over 100 schools.

Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: ‘This is the Education Secretary’s second display of petulance in consecutive days – albeit on this occasion without the swear words attached – and isn’t very helpful.

‘Schools have been expected to identify Raac even though this is a specialist field and are unlikely to have staff who are experts in this area.

‘They have received minimal help from the Department for Education which will have known which schools have not returned surveys for several months and which has had ample time to reach out to them. The Education Secretary would do better to provide support, rather than blame.’

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the NAHT school leaders’ union, said: ‘Any attempt to start shifting the blame onto individual schools will be seen by parents and public for what it is: a desperate attempt by Government to deflect from its own significant failings.

‘The facts are clear: the current crumbling school estate is the direct result of ministerial decisions to slash capital budgets. Furthermore, the Government has known about the risks associated with Raac for many years but has only recently sent out these surveys to responsible bodies.’

He added: ‘The fact that we now have classroom ceilings held up by metal poles and classrooms put out of use completely is a reflection of the neglect and cuts we have been warning about for years.

‘The responsibility for this situation sits squarely on the Government’s shoulders and no amount of deflection and distraction will change that.’

MPs are becoming increasingly angry at the handling of the concrete issue. 

One Tory MP told the Telegraph: ‘The way she’s conducted herself – in particular in that ITV interview – shows she is selfish and shameless and not fit to stay in office. 

‘It’s a damning indictment of Rishi Sunak and the people he has appointed to his Cabinet.’

Another added that they believed Ms Keegan had been ‘over-promoted’. A senior backbencher told MailOnline that the minister seemed to be in a ‘lot of trouble’ and it ‘could be her last chance’. ‘Although some people will say that she has been honest and is a breath of fresh air,’ they added.  

The concrete crisis has meant scores of pupils began the school year by learning online in an echo of the huge disruption caused by the pandemic.

Teachers spent the weekend scrambling to erect tented classrooms and acquiring festival-style toilets in a bid to keep classrooms open. The closures left parents racing to find emergency childcare as they juggled remote learning with full-time work.

However, it has come to light that initial concerns were raised early last month, weeks before the last-minute panic before schools returned.  

Ms Keegan came under fire for failing to appear on the airwaves over the weekend to address the issue, and instead released a bizarre video with a dance music soundtrack. 

After his boss’s epic round of interviews yesterday, schools minister Nick Gibb was sent out to bat for the government on TV this morning.

He said he did not ‘accept’ the accusation that ministers have taken a sticking plaster approach to essential maintenance by the head of the Whitehall spending watchdog.

He told Sky News on Tuesday: ‘We’re spending £1.8billion a year … and we are taking more proactive action on that than any other government in the world.

‘We are the government that put out the warning notice in 2018. We’re the government that sent questionnaires to every responsible body, asking them to tell us about Raac (reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete) in their schools. And we are the government that proactively sought evidence about Raac and took a decision last week that even non-critical Raac now we need to take children out of those schools.’

Explaining school closures, Mr Gibb said: ‘Every school that has a problem with Raac, we are sending in a caseworker to work with the school. In some schools it will just be one room, a cupboard. In other schools it will be a sports hall indeed or it might be pervasive throughout the school.

‘So it will depend on the level of Raac in the school. What we are clear about is that no child, no member of staff will be in a room that has Raac.’

Gary Neville’s sister heads for Australia as former England coach Tracey lands job with Super Netball’s newest franchise

• Tracey Neville has landed a new job in Australia 
• She will coach Super Netball’s new franchise 
• Neville previously led the England team

By Ollie Lewis For Daily Mail Australia

Updated: 08:00 EDT, 2 August 2023

Bronny James has gone out for dinner with his family at a celebrity hotspot in Los Angeles, just four days after having a cardiac arrest during basketball practice.

He was joined by his famous father LeBron, his mom Savannah, brother Bryce and younger sister Zuri. He was seen leaving the famous Italian restaurant – Giorgio Baldi in Santa Monica – with LeBron and Bryce standing close by on Friday night

Bronny, 18, was taken ill on Monday morning during practice at USC and was treated at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, before being discharged later this week.

And the family headed out for dinner to mark the end of a draining few days that threatened to turn their world upside down.

They had earlier been pictured arriving at the restaurant but only with LeBron, Savannah and Zuri walking through the front door. It wasn’t immediately clear that Bronny or even younger brother Bryce, 16, was there. 

As he walked out, Bronny seemed to take the attention around him in his stride and continued texting away on his phone. 

Earlier on Friday, LeBron posted pictures on Instagram of him playing basketball with his other son, Bryce. The Lakers star wrote in a poignant caption: ‘It is my job to always remain strong and to show them the blueprint regardless of the outcome.’ 

He also referred to Bryce in the hashtags as ‘BryceMaximus’ and ‘MyTwin’.

Bronny, meanwhile, has not spoken since being taken ill but there appears to be reason for cautious optimism over his recovery.

Upon announcing that Bronny had been discharged, Cedars-Sinai said Thursday in statement: ‘Thanks to the swift and effective response by the USC athletics’ medical staff, Bronny James was successfully treated for a sudden cardiac arrest. 

‘He arrived at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center fully conscious, neurologically intact and stable. 

‘Mr. James was cared for promptly by highly-trained staff and has been discharged home, where he is resting. 

‘Although his workup will be ongoing, we are hopeful for his continued progress and are encouraged by his response, resilience, and his family and community support.’

In the 911 call on Monday morning, obtained by DailyMail.Com, someone can be heard saying: ‘We need an ambulance immediately. Listen, we need an ambulance here, now!’

The person speaking to the operator is asked to stand near the teenager while the operator guides them through letting them know paramedics are on the way.

No details of James’ condition at the time are revealed in the call, though it is made clear that there is no doctor, nurse or medical professional at the scene of the cardiac episode that could help perform CPR

LeBron, meanwhile, tweeted out a statement on Thursday thanking fans for the messages of support his family have been sent.

‘I want to thank the countless people sending my family love and prayers,’ he wrote on Twitter.

”We feel you and I’m so grateful. Everyone doing great. We have our family together, safe and healthy, and we feel your love. 

‘Will have more to say when we’re ready but I wanted to tell everyone how much your support has meant to all of us! #JamesGang.’

He was seen visiting Bronny in hospital on Tuesday wearing a mask and was said to be ‘scared and devastated’ by what had happened.

Both Bronny and Bryce are highly rated young basketball players in their own right and LeBron has been an active supporter of his two sons’ basketball dreams – even using his off days during the Los Angeles Lakers’ season to fly several hours to attend their games.

Bronny’s 16-year-old brother, Bryce, posted a photo of the two on his Instagram story, along with a heart. Bryce James is also a top basketball prospect who already has received Division I scholarship offers.

LeBron James has repeatedly said that he even hopes to play in the NBA with Bronny, who couldn’t join the league until the fall of 2024 at the earliest. 

LeBron would be entering his 22nd NBA season at that point – matching Vince Carter for the longest career in league history – with his 40th birthday looming in December 2024.

‘My last year will be played with my son,’ James said. ‘Wherever Bronny is at, that´s where I´ll be. I would do whatever it takes to play with my son for one year.’

Lisa Kudrow missed out on reuniting with her Friends co-stars Jennifer Aniston and Courteney Cox as she headed out for dinner with her husband Michel Stern in Beverly Hills on Thursday. 

The actress, 59, who played Phoebe Buffay in the hit sitcom, enjoyed a meal at legendary seafood restaurant Avra, while over in Malibu, Courteney rang in her 59th birthday. 

Courteney marked her special day with a low-key affair at the Californian private members club, surrounded by her close pals, including best pal Jen. 

Over in Beverly Hills, a make-up free Lisa was pictured heading home dressed in monochromatic black from head to toe, with the exception of a patterned black and white scarf.

The former Friends star had been enjoying a meal at the seafood eatery with her husband Michel, a French advertising executive to whom she has been married almost 30 years. 

The pair, who have a son called Julian together, seemed to be in high spirits as they left the famous venue, known for its seafood and salads.

Its menu boasts ‘freshly caught whole fish flown in daily from Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Florida, and New Zealand’ which is served up by the pound. 

The mouthwatering delicacies are then ‘charcoal grilled with olive oil, lemon, sea salt, saffron, and mustard’, while sashimi is also on offer.

Lisa had previously stated she’s a million miles apart from her friends character Phoebe.

Phoebe was a devout vegetarian who refused to eat ‘anything with a face’, but it seems that, in real life, she and her husband are partial to a seafood snack. 

Despite swearing off meat, however, Friends fans might remember that Phoebe struggled to control her cravings for beef lasagne – especially when pregnant. 

Meanwhile, the real-life Lisa revealed she has been mocked for her unusual taste for McVitie’s chocolate biscuits – her ‘favourite breakfast’.

‘I got made fun of once – I was at a craft service table and I said, “Oh, they’ve got tea. Oh, I should bring my digestive biscuits!”‘ she joked in an interview with CNN.

Lisa recently revealed her feelings about reuniting with her former Friends castmates for a HBO Max special, describing the experience as ‘thrilling’ and ’emotional’.

She also disclosed that she’d initially wanted to play Rachel instead of her own character, but was rapidly rebuffed.

‘When I first read the script, and was going to be auditioning for Phoebe, I saw [the pages for] Rachel, and just went, “Oh, that’s like a Long Island JAP,”‘ she told E! News.

She added: ‘That could be hilarious. I can identify with that more!’, but was told: ‘No, no. Phoebe!’

Kendall Jenner was spotted out and about in Los Angeles on Wednesday as she headed to lunch.

The 27-year-old supermodel — who made a racy appearance on Instagram earlier in the day — dressed down in a camo sweatshirt and clinging black leggings.

The reality television personality wore her long, dark hair loose and styled in a center part.

Kendall shielded her eyes in a pair of narrow black sunglasses and slung a black leather bag over her shoulder.

Her look was rounded out with a pair of white tube socks and gray sneakers with yellow, blue, and red accents.

Kendall appeared to go makeup-free underneath her shades and she wore tiny earrings.

Taking to her Instagram Stories on Wednesday, Jenner shared new content in a sexy little black dress.

The look, styled by Dani Michelle, was designed with a sheer nude panel over the chest, giving the illusion of bare skin.

The mini dress had red accents in the form of a long, chic neck scarf and flower accoutrements placed over the breasts. 

The thigh-grazing dress showed off the runway regular’s long, tanned legs. 

The ensemble was finished with a pair of black, pointy-toe, slingback heels. 

The former E! star looked staggering as she hit several poses on a yacht at nighttime.

Kendall’s rich, brunette locks were styled in a chic blowout and she wore a face of bronzy makeup.

The influencer also shared with fans two photos of her beloved dog as she gave him a bath in her luxury bathroom. 

Days earlier Kendall was spotted taking in the views of Antibes, accompanied by her longtime friend Fai Khadra.

The superstar has been romantically linked to Puerto Rican music artist Bad Bunny in recent weeks.

They first sparked dating rumors in February, when the gossip blog DeuxMoi reported that sources had seen the two making out at a club in Los Angeles.

But Bad Bunny and Kendall later seemingly confirmed their romance when they shared a hug and kiss after a sushi date with her sister Kylie Jenner and their friends.

Earlier this month, sources told People that the two have been spending ‘almost every day together’ amid their budding romance.

After a ‘slow start,’ the two are reportedly rarely out of each other’s sight.

‘They are very cute together. Kendall is happy,’ a source told the publication. ‘He is a fun guy. Very much a gentleman and charming. She likes his vibe. He is very chill.’

They added, ‘He hangs out with her friends and she hangs out with his. It’s more of a relationship now. Kendall is not seeing anyone else. She really likes him.’

Season three of Kendall’s family’s Hulu docuseries The Kardashians premiered on the streaming platform last week.

Trailers for the latest installment showed high tensions among the famous family, including a spat between Kourtney and Kim Kardashian, and a health scare for Khloe.

The first episode saw Kim cope with the stress of single parenting after her high-profile divorce from Kanye West.

The show will also document the inside of her breakup from comic Pete Davidson.