Politics: Hattersley speech on school choice

Parents should only be able to send their children to the school nearest their home, Lord Hattersley said last night.

He called for legislation banning head teachers from interviewing children or parents when they applied for a place.

He attacked ministers for failing to abolish grammar schools. He said: "Putting the question of denominational schools aside, there should be only two admission criteria - proximity to the school and siblings within it.

In a speech to Sheffield University students, Lord Hattersley also criticised Labour plans to encourage businesses to help run education action zones as a way of raising standards in deprived areas.

BEN RUSSELL