What about the grammar schools?

MEP Paul Nuttall

Sir John Major is right to express shock at the dominance of private school educated elite in the "upper echelons" of public life, said UKIP deputy Leader Paul Nuttall today.

"But, unlike the rest of us, has he only just realised that more than half the Cabinet fall into that bracket and have financial means the vast majority in this country can only dream about?

"It's really no wonder that they don't get it when it comes the life and financial worries of the average person.

"And while he says of the need for social mobility, saying our education system 'should be helping children out of the circumstances in which they were born', he fails to argue for grammar schools.

"UKIP is the only party that is, and has been for a long time, advocating the return of grammar schools," said Mr Nuttall, North West MEP, who was himself educated at a comprehensive school.

"The education system in this country is failing our children and the answer is the re-introduction of grammar schools and technical colleges. Not everyone is academically minded and there must be provision to foster the other talents that we all inherently have.

"I have nothing against private schools at all but there needs to be a more level playing field for those whose parents can't afford to send them to such establishments," he added.