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Margaret Thatcher, Ted Heath, John Major, not only grammar school-educated themselves, but staunch supporters of academic selection. At the last election, Michael Howard promised they'd thrive. But today the Conservatives, led by Eton-educated David Cameron, turned its back on grammar schools, claiming that selecting children at 11 is unfair to poorer families.

Their education spokesman, David Willetts, said existing grammar schools would not close. But the party will promote more academy schools as a better way of promoting gifted poorer pupils. But as James Blake reports, the policy changes upset some of the party's traditional supporters.

For years, for generations even, grammar schools have been the central plank in Conservative education policy.

"Wherever parents want to have grammar schools, doctrinaire Labour Councils will not be able to stand in the way."

The basic philosophy here--- selection raises standards.

"But I, we believe in choice and I exercise that choice on behalf of my children."

This freedom to choose grammar schools came up again in the latest leadership contest.

"… but allows people to choose the sort of education they want."

But now all that has been abandoned. According to new Conservative ideology, grammar schools deepen the divisions between rich and poor. But David Cameron risks alienating his core support here. In a recent survey of grass roots Conservatives, 73% said they backed selection.

"If we believe in choice and localism, why don't we say that if a group of social entrepreneurs live in the city, a group of parents won't set up a grammar school to lift the education standards in that, in the city, why can't they? Why are we rude at saying that we have a party diversity in localism and choice. And ruling out new grammar schools, is inconsistent with our principles."

Instead, the Conservative front bench has surprised many of its own MPs by supporting Labour's city academy scheme. It’s proved controversial because private companies, organizations and religious groups can gain some control of schools with a two-million-pound investment.

"When I look at the evidence about where children from poor backgrounds get the best education opportunities, it's clear to me that it's our City Technology Colleges and Tony Blair's academies funding most of them, which do far better, providing a high-quality education for children from poor backgrounds, regardless of the income of your parents. That's what we got to extend."

In fact, the Conservatives seem more enthusiastic about Labour's policy than the government itself. The Education Secretary Alan Johnson says he now wants to limit the number of city academies. Despite the private investment, each city academy cost the government about 25 million pounds. And yet the Conservatives now claim they'll open more academies than Labour under Gordon Brown.

James Blake reporting.