A councillor and school governor says he will "stand shoulder to shoulder" in court with any parent who defies the government's plan to reopen schools on Monday.

It comes as a veteran Conservative MP criticised his own government for its approach saying ministers had lost control and needed to close schools urgently.

While 11 districts in Kent will keep schools closed on Monday in reaction to rising Covid-19 cases, schools in Thanet, Dover, Folkestone and Hythe and Canterbury districts are being forced to reopen.

Education secretary Gavin Williamson and the government are under mounting pressure to make a U-turn and close them all, and Kent county councillor Barry Lewis says he will support parents who take the decision into their own hands.

"It's a postcode lottery," says the Labour member for Margate on Kent County Council, who is also a governor at the town's Drapers Mill Primary School.

"I'm very annoyed that Thanet is not being included in the closure of schools. I've had many parents phoning me up worried about situation in Thanet, given Margate Hospital is full to capacity with Covid cases.

"I can't understand the logic of this decision to keep schools open in Thanet while the whole of London and the vast majority of schools in Kent are being closed.

"There are cases of Covid in virtually all Thanet schools.

"I understand Eton has been closed because of Covid, so why is it one law for the rich and one law for Thanet?"

Meanwhile, the MP for North Thanet Sir Roger Gale said there was no shame in the government changing its mind in the wake of the situation worsening but criticised the government for acting too late.

"I've emailed the prime minister's private secretary to say in my view the situation in London has kicked the bottom out of the whole policy," he said.

"The Prime Minister needs to take control, and close schools for a fortnight while we reappraise the policy.

"I did say a week ago that while there was still time we should put everything on hold for a fortnight.

"The problem with the government's approach has been too little too late consistently..."

"There's no shame in that because the game has changed. The virus has spread more."

Sir Roger said schools had already made steps to improve home learning systems, adding: "Throughout the pandemic we kept schools open for children of key workers, and maybe that's what we need to do now.

"I believe we need to go back into full lockdown. It's getting seriously out of control.

"The problem with the government's approach has been too little too late consistently. We've stumbled from one problem to another.

"We're saying we're heeding the scientific advice but we're only doing it when it suits us.

"We're in the worst pandemic anyone has ever known and we've got three months of winter ahead.

"There's some light at the end of the tunnel but it's some way off so we've got to weather this."

Cllr Lewis said it was counter-intuitive that people in Tier 4 were being told not to go out unnecessarily and meet friends over Christmas, only to be told they could now go back into a bubble of 80 separate households at school.

"This is going to lead to more transmissions," he added. "It doesn't make sense.

"Also certain people are being told if they don't take their children back to school there's a possibility of being fined.

"I don't know of any parent in Kent since Covid being fined. If KCC dare fine anyone I'll stand shoulder to shoulder with any parent, in court if necessary, to defend their right to protect their child.

"I think the big thing on Monday is parents will vote with their feet and defy the government. I will defend people who put their children's safety first above a stupid law. The decision was not made in consultation with KCC.

"We're all in this together. If it's unsafe for children in North Kent to go to school why is it safe for children in Thanet. I'm calling on the Government to do a U-turn. They're behind the curve."

Unions and teachers have been equally critical about the government's current plan of action and say schools cannot remain open.

Public health experts have also suggested closing all schools during January in a bid to regain control, reduce infections and allow the vaccination programme to start taking effect.

Liberal Democrat leader at KCC, Cllr Rob Bird, has suggested a two month closure of schools to enable the county to start recovering.

Read more: all the latest news from Thanet.