Labour has failed to deliver education opportunities for all - Davey

12.28.26pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 10th Oct 2005

Commenting on the Sutton Trust report published today, showing that the country's top state schools are accepting significantly fewer poor pupils than other schools and excluding less affluent children who live nearby, Liberal Democrat Shadow Education Secretary, Edward Davey MP said:

"This research is a damning critique of Labour's failure to deliver on equal opportunities for all in education.

"Parents' income as an indicator of how well a child will do in school has become even more pronounced now than under the Conservatives. Worse still, this study shows that Labour's false choice agenda is widening the social divide in education even further.

"Educational opportunity for those from less wealthy backgrounds has actually taken a backwards step under Labour. Ministers should feel ashamed."