Labour MPs challenge education reforms
John Denham is among the authors of an alternative schools white paper
Wednesday, 14, Dec 2005 12:00
Former ministers and Labour backbenchers will today challenge the government's plans for school reforms with the publication of their own 'alternative' education white paper.
Up to 50 MPs are thought to back the document, including the normally loyal former Home Office minister John Denham and former local government minister Nick Raynsford.
Their concerns focus on the issue of admissions – they fear giving schools more freedom to govern their own affairs will lead to an increase in selection by aptitude, although Tony Blair has repeatedly denied this.
Yesterday, former education secretary Estelle Morris, now a member of the House of Lords, signalled that she would back changes to the white paper, while former home secretary David Blunkett is also thought to be concerned about selection.
The government's proposals, which will be debated in the Commons early next year, would increase the participation of parents in the way schools are run, with a corresponding reduction in the role played by local authorities to 'strategic champions' of education.
But many Labour backbenchers fear local authorities are the only barrier to schools using selection – there is currently an admissions code of practice which prohibits selection by aptitude, but it is not statutory and schools only have to "have regard" to it.
They want to scrap proposals within the white paper for 23,000 schools in England and Wales to become their "own admissions authorities", and guarantee the role of local authorities in overseeing how schools choose their pupils.
Downing Street is said to be "relaxed" about the changes being proposed today, but there are already signs that Tony Blair might be prepared to compromise.
Yesterday schools minister Jacqui Smith shelved plans to review the code of practice on admission, prompting speculation that a new, stronger code may be introduced.
Meanwhile, opposition parties said the government's education policy was in tatters, and the Conservatives – who support the white paper proposals – urged Mr Blair not to back down.
"This is more evidence that the government's schools policy is in disarray. In the face of mounting pressure from his backbenchers, Tony Blair appears to have abandoned his plans for school admissions," said shadow education secretary David Willetts.
"Any rethink should result in schools getting more freedom, not less - that is the test we will apply to their proposals. The real issue is not endless fine tuning of admissions rules, but to have more good schools so there is less of a desperate scramble for admission."
Liberal Democrat education spokesman Edward Davey added: "The reality is this is not about new Labour versus old Labour. This is about those who want to reform education to benefit all our young people versus those whose plans would entrench existing inequalities.
"I hope that we can seize the opportunity to make this debate about standards in education. We need to concentrate on changing what happens in the classroom rather than just tinkering with structures."