OK, he may still be lagging in the polls, yet David Davis seems to be fizzing with ideas.
Abolishing grammar schools was one of the most outrageous acts of public vandalism of recent times (You don't have to be a raving right-winger to believe that, by the way.) So I can't tell you how pleased I was to see this:
One of the main reasons why social mobility is declining under this Government is the disappearance of grammar schools from most parts of the country. The areas where this creates the worst social barriers are our big cities. In many of these you find a concentration of social deprivation which gives teachers an almost impossible challenge. The schools themselves need to be able to focus better, and part of this focus should be the ability to offer academic excellence.
So as Prime Minister I would extend the range of choice available to parents and children in our big cities, I would, as an initial step, create 20 new grammar schools in the big cities of England, so that children from all backgrounds can benefit from the best academic education.
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