By GREG HEFFER, POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT and JAMES TAPSFIELD, UK POLITICAL EDITOR
A teaching union prompted fury today after they signed up children to join their campaigning outside Labour's conference - despite it clashing with school hours.
The National Education Union (NEU) was criticised for using children to hand out leaflets to conference attendees as part of their 'No Child Left Behind' drive.
Tory shadow education secretary Laura Trott said it was a 'clear breach' of rules that forbid teachers from allowing pupils to skip lessons in order to attend protests.
The NEU's 'No Child Left Behind' campaign calls for free school meals for all children and states that school food is 'part and parcel of education, like desks or books'.
Those arriving at Labour's conference on Tuesday morning, ahead of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's keynote speech, were handed leaflets promoting the campaign.
These were being issued by children wearing high-vis vests, who also gave stickers to attendees with the slogan 'Free School Meals For All'.
In August last year, shortly after Labour's general election victory, the Department for Education published new guidance to schools on when to permit time off for pupils.
It stated that 'leave of absence should not be granted for a pupil to take part in protest activity during school hours'.
A teaching union prompted fury after they signed up children to join their campaigning outside Labour 's conference - despite it clashing with school hours
Ms Trott told the Daily Mail: 'It's completely unacceptable to take children out of school to campaign on behalf of the unions.
'Unions can't condemn the impact of school absence on education, at the same time as enabling it all to engage in political protests. It is deeply inappropriate.
'Children are not tools for political activism, and unions should know better than to exploit them in this way.
'This is a clear breach of Government guidance that forbids leave of absence for political protests during school hours.'
The Tory frontbencher also called for Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson to 'stand up to her union bosses and investigate what rules have been broken'.
'Otherwise it will be clear for all to see that she is putting her personal ambition ahead of what is best for children,' she added of Ms Phillipson, who is currently standing to be Labour's new deputy leader.
The NEU dismissed suggestions that school guidance had been broken by Tuesday's leafleting session.
The union also said it was an opportunity for the children involved to 'learn about our parliamentary system'.
An NEU spokesperson said: 'The leafleting session at Labour Party Conference was to highlight the campaign for free school meals for all primary school children.
'The leafleting happened at this conference because Labour are the current government and this is teaching students how to raise their ideas and voices to elected politicians.
'Giving students an opportunity to come and engage with elected politicians exposes them to positive role models, raises aspirations and teaches them about rights in a democracy.
'The political impartiality requirements on schools prohibits the promotion of partisan political rules but this campaign is not aimed at any one party and in fact MPs in all parties have been lobbied.
'The campaign about extending school meals attracts the support of councillors and MPs across the political spectrum.
'Engaging with the democratic system, including taking part in lobbying MPs, or councillors or other elected figures, is a way children can learn about our parliamentary system.
'A nutritious midday meal for all children brings immeasurable befits not least with concentration and learning.
'Children in London have this provision thanks to the mayor Sadiq Khan and multiple benefits for children flow from this policy.
'Local children alongside their local MP Kim Johnson were bringing this message to the Prime Minister because he is Liverpool for conference.'