MINISTERS have been accused of putting a gun to the head of councils as it emerged that all but one local authority has signed up to a controversial deal to maintain teacher numbers.

The Scottish Government announced that 31 out of 32 local authorities have agreed in principle to protect the number of teachers they employ in return for additional funding. Discussions are under way with the one remaining council still to agree to the deal.

Education Secretary Angela Constance said the talks had been "positive and productive" but council umbrella body Cosla said local authorities had been left with "Hobson's Choice".

Councillor David O'Neill, Cosla president, accused the government of "bulldozing" through the scheme and then trying to "spin" it as a success.

He said: "We have seen the vast majority of these letters and it is fair to say that very few councils have signed up to their individual deal with a spring in their step and it is both wrong and totally misleading to present this in this manner.

"With a gun to your head, it is difficult to make the decisions you might otherwise want to make. Councils once again were left in the invidious position of having to accept this deal or face the most unpalatable of punitive measures.

He added: "This is not a local government scheme and had we devised it, it would not have looked like this. When this goes wrong the public should remember that."

The SNP has placed the retention of teachers at the heart of its education policy, but councils argue the number of teachers has no direct correlation to educational standards.

Ms Constance said local authorities were being goven £51 million, including an extra £10 above last year's settlement, specifically to support teacher numbers.

"Education in schools is getting better, with record exam results and record numbers of school leavers in work, education or training and this Government has made it our top priority to continue that improvement and to raise attainment for all of Scotland's children."