Burstow Tackles the Prime Minister over Unfair Admission System

6.29.06pm GMT Wed 10th Mar 2010

Local Liberal Democrat MP, Paul Burstow, stepped up his campaign for a fair school deal for local children today with a question to the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown.

The Sutton and Cheam MP asked the Prime Minister about the 170 families living in Sutton, Cheam and Worcester Park who learned last week that they have not been offered a place at any local High School. Mr Burstow described the 'boys and girls' as the 'casulties of an unfair admissions system that condemns them to unpopular schools miles away from where they live'. He went on to ask the Prime Minister to consider his School Admissions Bill which is due to be debated on Friday and take steps to ensure that no child is let down in this way again.

Commenting after the exchange Paul Burstow MP said, "The Prime Minister brushed aside the 170 families in his reply. He failed to understand that rather than giving parents choice for many parents the reality is no choice whatsoever. With so many children from outside the borough getting places at Sutton schools it is time the law was changed to give local children a fair deal."