TEACHERS hit back at Scotland’s Deputy First Minister today, after he claimed a 3 per cent pay offer would make them the best paid in Britain.

Education unions are planning strikes after repeated government refusals to meet their demand of a 10 per cent wage rise – which they say is necessary after a decade of pay restraint.

Speaking at SNP conference on Monday John Swinney, who holds the education brief as well as being Nicola Sturgeon’s No 2, indicated he would continue to reject the demand.