Outrage as SNP vows to block grammar schools legislation despite Scotland being exempt from education overhaul

NICOLA Sturgeon’s SNP sparked outrage yesterday by vowing to block Theresa May’s schools revolution – saying they were “fundamentally opposed” to grammar schools.

Tory backbencher Andrew Bridgen accused the Nationalists of trying to sow even greater divisions between Scotland and England.

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The SNP’s spokeswoman Carol Monaghan said they would be putting the plans under the microscope – despite education being a devolved matter.

Scotland is exempt from Theresa May’s education overhaul and grammar schools were phased out of the country decades ago.

But Ms Monaghan said yesterday any changes to pay or conditions in England could affect teachers pay north of the border.

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Theresa May already has a battle on her hands to get the plans through parliament with a slim majority, Labour opposition and many Tory backbenchers voicing concerns.

Ms Monaghan said she was “fundamentally opposed to any system that encourages educational inequality and selection”.

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She said the SNP’s 54-strong MPs would “closely examine” any proposals brought to the Commons.

She said: “If schools across England set pay scales lower than the agreed national scales, that would mean an education budget across the piste would be lower, and there are Barnett consequentials for us.”

But Tory MP Andrew Bridgen added: “The SNP are desperate to create divisions between Scotland and England and this is just another tool in their toolbox.”