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| Theresa May says the only reason she's Prime Minister is because she went to grammar school | Theresa May says the only reason she's Prime Minister is because she went to grammar school |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Theresa May has suggested she only reached No 10 because she was lucky enough to attend a grammar school, as the ongoing row sparked Labour anger in the Commons during Prime Minister's Questions. | |
| The Prime Minister defended her controversial policy by claiming a selective education also lay behind Jeremy Corbyn’s rise to Opposition leader. | |
| But Mr Corbyn – with a united party behind him, for almost the first time – enjoyed his best Commons clash with Mrs May, as he savaged the plans for “dividing children at the age of 11”. | But Mr Corbyn – with a united party behind him, for almost the first time – enjoyed his best Commons clash with Mrs May, as he savaged the plans for “dividing children at the age of 11”. |
| When challenged, she was unable to name an education expert who backs more grammar schools and her own – divided – backbenchers were subdued. | |
| Mr Corbyn said: “Every child - every child - should have the best possible education they can have | |
| “We don’t need, and never should, divide children at the age of 11 – a life-changing decision when the majority end up losing out.” | |
| Pointing out the poorer GCSE results in all-selective Kent, he asked: “Why does the Prime Minister want to expand a system that can only let children down?” | |
| Mr Corbyn also quoted David Cameron’s opposition to grammar schools and his belief they could only ever offer “a decent education to a select few”. | |
| The comments came after the Prime Minister personalised the row, accusing Mr Corbyn of trying to “pull up the ladder“ after taking advantage of a good education himself. | |
| Ms May said: “He went to a grammar school, I went to a grammar school - it's what got us where we are today.” | |
| She added: “It is members of the Labour Party who will take the advantages of a good education for themselves and pull up the ladder behind them for other people.” | |
| Mr Corbyn hit back, saying: “It's not about pulling up ladders, it's about providing a ladder for every child.” | |
| Ms May’s claim may anger some Tory backbenchers who, this week, voiced opposition by pointing to their own comprehensive education – and to the cost of failing the 11-plus exam. | |
| It was also quickly pointed out that Holton Park Girls' Grammar School, in Oxfordshire – which Mrs May joined at the age of 13 – became Wheatley Park Comprehensive School while she was there. | |
| Mr Corbyn went to a selective boys' grammar school in Shropshire, but split from his second wife because she was determined to send their son to a selective school. | |
| Ms May accused the Labour leader of being stuck “in the 1950s” – reflecting her claim that her new generation of grammars will be more inclusive, admitting more poor pupils. | |
| And she criticised his belief in “equality of outcome”, adding: “He believes in levelling down - we believe in levelling up.” | |
| Ms May is faced with possible defeat on her first flagship policy, after more than a dozen Tory backbenchers criticised grammars, some warning of the “stigma” for pupils denied places. | |
| Later, her spokesman was unable to provide evidence to back up the return of grammars – despite Ms May’s insistence that she only makes big decisions after careful weighing up of the facts. |