Michael Gove has pulled out of a meeting to discuss the Kings Science Academy scandal – prompting criticism that he is running scared.

Bradford East MP David Ward reacted with fury after the Education Secretary cancelled the face-to-face meeting – planned for today – at the last minute. The Liberal Democrat revealed that Mr Gove’s office was now denying the meeting had ever been agreed, despite suggesting November 19 itself, two weeks ago. And Mr Gove had refused to guarantee setting aside any future time to discuss the apparent fraud at the flagship free school, set up by his Department for Education (DfE).

Mr Ward said: “Gove’s attitude tells you all you need to know about his views on Bradford and the great work going on in some of the schools we have. It’s evident that the Secretary of State is shy about facing the hard questions about his department’s complicity in covering up alleged fraud at the Science Academy. What happened shines a very bright light on the fundamental holes in his “anything goes” attitude to the establishment of free schools, which have free access to millions of pounds of public money.”

The meeting was agreed on November 6, 12 days after DfE auditors revealed that “fabricated invoices” for rent were submitted by the free school, in Lidget Green. The DfE also wrongly told MPs that West Yorkshire Police had started a criminal investigation and had concluded that “no further action was necessary”.

In fact, a fraud inquiry has only now been started – six months after Mr Gove was personally alerted to the scandal at Kings Science Academy – with three men being questioned by detectives at Trafalgar House police station in Bradford last Friday.

Last week, the Education Secretary astonished MPs by refusing to criticise Kings Science Academy, despite the unfolding scandal – instead hailing the “idealists” behind free schools.

And he accused his critics of ignoring what he called the “appalling” quality of education in Bradford for many years, before free schools were established.

Mr Ward added: “I’m sick and tired of Michael Gove making ill-informed and frankly insulting criticism of Bradford, our education system and our teachers.” A DfE spokesman said last night: “No meeting between the Secretary of State and David Ward had been arranged.

“This school is now subject to an ongoing police investigation, which would be inappropriate to comment on at this stage.”