Cameron makes state school pledge

David Cameron he wanted to support state schools

Conservative Party leader David Cameron has pledged to send his children to state schools - as long as they offer a good standard of education.

Eton-educated Mr Cameron told the Daily Telegraph: "I would like my children to go through the state sector. I'll always do the right thing for them."

He confirmed he would not create any more grammar schools, a decision that caused a backbench rebellion last year.

The pledge came as he outlined plans for thousands of new comprehensives.

Shadow education secretary Michael Gove told the paper the Tories would provide a "superb new school in every community".

BBC political correspondent Gillian Hargreaves said Mr Cameron's endorsement of state schools for his own children marked a shift away from old-style Tory elitism.

He would be the first modern Conservative leader to send his children to a state secondary school, our correspondent added.

During the interview, he also talked about "free schools", where businesses or charities would set up comprehensives, without selection, which would be free for parents but which would be outside local authority control.

He also pledged to take on the teaching unions if they resisted his plans.

Mr Gove told the BBC the Conservatives were focusing on improving state schools.

"The overwhelming majority of people rely on the state system and need it to be better," he said.

"There are all sorts of people working to improve the state system, but we need to expand the number of people who are working not just to make sure the state system is better, but the best in the world."

Meelian Mansfield, chairwoman of the Campaign for State Education, welcomed the statement.

She said: "If it's a state school system which is locally accountable to local people, run by local government, we think that's amazing, that's very good. Politicians of all kinds, both local and national, ought to be showing confidence in the system they're running by sending their children to those schools."

Mr Cameron has three children, Ivan, aged six, Nancy, five and Arthur, two.