Schools minister spells out errors

The Cambridge-educated MP, who is responsible for raising standards in schools, appeared to have problems with basic spelling rules such as "i before e except after c".

In the blog, which appears on his website, Mr Knight airs his views on national issues, as well as those affecting his constituency, Dorset South.

In one entry from November, about planning consent for a relief road in Weymouth, Mr Knight spells "received" and "archaeological" wrongly.

In another he spells "maintenance" as "maintainence" and in a third he writes "pernsioners" instead of "pensioners."

Other mistakes include "foce" for "force", "convicned" for convinced" and "acheiving" for "achieving".

Mr Knight told The Sun newspaper: "When I was at school, the teachers always told me to check my work.

"While my spelling is generally pretty good, I need to focus more on checking."