Estelle Morris leads challenge to Blair on 'divisive' school policy
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Your support makes all the difference.Tony Blair's flagship education reforms will face a fresh assault this week from a coalition of former ministers and senior Blairite figures, including Estelle Morris, the former education secretary.
In a direct challenge to the Prime Minister they will publish an alternative education White Paper,supported by MPs from across the Labour party. Baroness Morris of Yardley saidshe was supporting the proposals because the government plan would "exacerbate" class divisions in education and make it more difficult for children from poorer backgrounds to get into good schools.
In an uncharacteristic criticism of the Government, the Labour peer warned that the education reforms, backed by David Cameron, the new Tory leader, would "muddy" the dividing line between Labour and the Conservatives on education policy.
She accused the Government of effectively allowing schools to select pupils by setting their own admissions policy and taking the power away from local authorities.
"It might not be straight academic selection - but put it this way, the same kids always score and the same kids always lose out," the former Cabinet Minister said.
She believed that reforms would "make matters worse" and distract schools from the important task of improving standards.
"I believe the changes that are in the White Paper make it more difficult for us to break that link between social class and educational achievement," Lady Morris said.
The blueprint will be launched on Wednesday.
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