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Oliver Letwin/Lilian Baylis

from Cathy (cathyvpreece@aol.com)

South London Press

News

Letwin apologises to Lambeth school

Oct 12 2003

Top Tory Oliver Letwin has apologised to his local school after saying he would rather "beg" than send his children there.

The shadow home secretary said he was happy for 10-year-old twins Jeremy and Laura to attend state schools in his Dorset constituency.

But Eton-educated Mr Letwin said he would not send them to state schools near their London home.

He told a fringe meeting at the Tory conference: "In Lambeth, where I live, I would give my right arm to send them to a fee-paying school.

"If necessary I would go out on the streets and beg rather than send them to the school where I live."

Gaffe-prone Mr Letwin was thought to be referring to the Lilian Baylis School in Kennington.

Mr Letwin told Sky's Sunday with Adam Boulton: "I regret that a particular school was identified by the London press.

"I have written to apologise to them because I would not want to cause any offence I did think it caused them.

"But I have to say that I am still - and the whole Conservative Party is still - passionate about Damian Green's policy, which is what I was explaining, for better school passports.

"What that does is to give parents choice, which at the moment is available only to those of us lucky enough to have money."

(posted 7474 days ago)

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