Clegg ‘has split Lib Dems’ over schools policy

Nick Clegg’s announcement appears to have put distance between his own party and the Conservatives by disowning a key part of coalition education policy.

But a senior Tory yesterday accused him of causing a split in his own party too, describing his policy announcement as “illiberal” and “peculiar”.

Education Select Committee chairman and Yorkshire MP Graham Stuart said: “Mr Clegg talks about a balance. My understanding is that a typical Liberal view would be believing that you trust the front line to decide how and who should teach but you hold them strongly to account through exam results and Ofsted.

“So it’s a strangely illiberal policy announcement that Nick Clegg has made and it comes immediately after the Al-Madinah school has caught the headlines whereas the evidence appears to be that most free schools are doing an excellent job.

“Indeed the Lib Dem Schools Minister said last week what an excellent job they were doing.”

Last week Lib Dem Schools Minister David Laws told MPs that “there are plenty of teachers who may not have formal qualifications but who still do a superb job”.

Mr Stuart, the Conservative MP for Beverley and Holderness, added: “I thought they believed in localism and, yet, here we are at the first sign of trouble and Nick Clegg comes over all Barbara Castle.

“It’s a very peculiar approach and it’s already leading to splits in the Lib Dems.

Lib Dem Energy Secretary Ed Davey said, however, his party’s leader must be free to set out party policy in the run-up to the next general election.

He said: “I think people will be surprised that we are embarking on a programme that could mean lots of unqualified teachers are teaching our children. What Nick is showing is what our policy will be at the next election.”

Free schools are allowed to employ teachers without qualified teacher status and academies and free schools do not have to follow the National Curriculum.