Cameron's education policy 'barking mad'

David Cameron suffered a fresh blow today after an influential teachers' leader called his education policies "barking mad".

Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, condemned the Conservative Party's proposals for overhauling lessons and recruiting more private firms to run state schools.

She said creating a "market" in which schools compete against each other would leave the poorest children with the worst deal as pushy middle-class parents dominate the best comprehensives.

"Children are not commodities," she said. "We are not dealing with unfashionable trainers. We are dealing with children's education. That cannot be left to the vagueries of the market."