Labour MPs are urged to rebel over free schools

DAMIAN Hinds has accused Labour of putting ‘ideology before children’ over the party’s plans to end the free schools programme.

The Education Secretary said Jeremy Corbyn’s party was trying to ‘strip parents of choice’ because the schools outperformed others and were hugely popular with families.

Yesterday, he wrote to every Labour MP sitting in a constituency where a new free school is planned to point out the benefit it will have to thousands of children.

He asked them to rebel against their party to ‘do what is best for local constituents’ and stop children from being ‘robbed’ of an ‘inspirational’ school.

The letter comes after Labour’s education spokesman, Angela Rayner, said in September that Labour would ‘immediately’ end the Government’s academies and free schools programme.

These schools are autonomous and answer directly to central government, but Labour wants to return to the old system of local authorities running schools.

Free schools, a flagship Tory scheme, have been popular with parents, as they can be set up by community groups to meet demand in local areas.

Mr Hinds said: ‘Free schools have been a fantastic addition to our education system, bringing innovation and a different way of thinking to teaching and learning.

‘Despite the fact these represent a small proportion of the total number of schools, they are seeing remarkable results.’

He added: ‘While the Labour Party leadership want to put ideology over the education of children and end the free schools programme, I am challenging local Labour MPs to do what is best for their local constituents and back these new schools to open.’