Labour plans expansion of state nursery sector in England to ease pressure on parents

Proposals are part of party's wider ambition to build system of high-quality, affordable childcare and to make issue an election pledge

• It's not just childcare': focus on early years education sets Estonia apart

Councils in England will be encouraged to open more high-quality maintained nurseries as part of ambitious Labour plans to transform childcare and ease pressure on struggling parents.

There are fewer than 400 surviving state nursery schools across the country, which are regarded as the jewel in the crown of early years education, but have struggled to survive in the face of budget pressures.