Labour contenders open fire on private education

Education Secretary Alan Johnson and backbencher Jon Cruddas both challenged the charitable status of the fee-paying sector.

They warned that they would not shy away from withdrawing the tax break - which is worth £100million a year - from institutions such as Harrow and Eton.

But they immediately came under fire from critics who said the move would help "destroy" private schools and damage the prospects of thousands of pupils.

Pat Langham, president of the Girls' Schools Association, said: "This is essentially the politics of envy. The British independent sector is held in great esteem.

"To seek to destroy it has no real logic other than the denial of something very valuable.

"The sector gives back three times what it receives in tax breaks."

David Willetts, the Tories' education spokesman, said Mr Johnson and Mr Cruddas were playing to the Left-wing gallery in an increasingly bitter power struggle.

He added: "Because they are running for the deputy leadership they are making clumsy threats about independent schools' charity status.

"Instead we would be far more positive, encouraging independent schools and maintained schools to come together through creating new academies."

Mr Johnson is the bookmakers' favourite to replace John Prescott while Mr Cruddas is a well-placed outsider. Mr Johnson insisted private schools would have to do more to hang on to their tax breaks.

"It's not enough just to lend their playing fields," he said.

"It's about opening up their science labs, lending their teachers to the state sector, sponsoring academies and forming trusts."

Mr Cruddas went further, saying he could see no reason why private schools should retain their charitable status.

He said: "I don't want to engage in class warfare but I have never understood the idea of charitable status for these schools. I would get rid of it and invest the money into the public sector."

Peter Hain, an outsider for the deputy leadership post, distanced himself from Mr Johnson's comments.

He said: "Teachers in state schools are just as good as the ones in private schools."

Hilary Benn, second favourite in the deputy leadership race, said he agreed with the idea of loaning private school teachers to comprehensives.

He added, however, that extra state funding was a more important issue.