Jeremy Corbyn mounted a sustained attack on Theresa May's hated grammar schools plan, in what has been hailed his best performance at Prime Minister's Questions.
In a heated exchange, Mr Corbyn hit Mrs May with the words of John, a teacher, who wrote to him asking: "Why can’t they fund all schools properly and let us do our job?”
In Kent, which has grammar schools, just 27% of pupils on free school meals get five good GCSEs compared to 45% in London, he said.
“We’re all for expanding good practice but why does the Prime Minister want to expand a system that can only let children down,” he says.
Mrs May "gently reminded" Mr Corbyn that both he and she went to grammar schools: “It’s what got us where we are today. But my side might be rather happier about that than his.”
Mr Corbyn replied: “It’s not about pulling up ladders. It’s about providing a ladder for every child.”
And he quoted a major and vocal critic of grammar schools.
He said: "There is a kind of hopelessness about the demand to bring back grammars. An assumption that this country will only ever be able to offer a decent education to a select few.
"I want the Conservative party to rise above that attitude."
"Not my words," he noted, "but the words of the right honourable member for Witney" - David Cameron .
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