Cameron fights to quell grammar school revolt

David Cameron is trying to to quell the rebellion inside the Conservative Party over his decision to abandon its pledge to create more grammar schools.

Some Conservative frontbenchers are threatening to resign if Mr Cameron refuses to water down his policy of endorsing Tony Blair's flagship academy schools as the best way to broaden educational opportunity. They are also gunning for David Willetts, the shadow Education Secretary, who confirmed the switch in policy last week.

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Some critics claim they have been given hints that the party's stance will be changed slightly at a later date so the Tory leader is not forced to make a humiliating U-turn. But there was no sign of that yesterday when Mr Cameron accused his internal critics of holding a "delusional" and "fantasy" point of view. He refused to budge in what has become his biggest trial of strength since he became party leader 18 months ago.

Mr Cameron told a press conference that the row was a "pointless debate" because Conservative councils were not seeking to create new grammars and that not one of the schools had been opened during the 18 years of Tory rule between 1979 and 1997.

"We are debating something that we didn't do, we weren't going to do and even if we did do it, would have been undone," he declared. "We need to clear out of the way the argument about grammar schools. It has been a chain around our necks."

Mr Cameron insisted that he had made his position clear two years agowhen he stood for the party leadership. The right priority, he said, was to improve the 3,000 comprehensive schools. Denying that the controversy was his "Clause IV moment", he stressed that his policy did not threaten the remaining 164 grammar schools.

Despite his uncompromising stance, rumours swept Westminster that at least one Tory frontbencher was on the verge of quitting in protest. Graham Brady, the Europe spokesman, who went to grammar school in Trafford, Greater Manchester, said: "Those who argue that grammar schools are somehow irrelevant would do well to come and examine the way selection works in Trafford."

Officials denied that resignations were imminent, even though David Lidington, the Northern Ireland spokesman, and Cheryl Gillan, the party's Wales spokesman, expressed doubts at last week's meeting of the Shadow Cabinet.

Liam Fox, the shadow Defence Secretary, rallied behind the policy last night, saying: "Conservatives should be supporting a system where pupils choose their schools rather than [a] schools-choosing system."

David Davis, the shadow Home Secretary, declined to comment on an issue outside his brief, but aides said it should not be seen as criticism.

The row dominated Mr Cameron's press conference and overshadowed his demand for Tony Blair to stand down before his planned departure date of 27 June to end the state of limbo in the Government.