Estelle Morris told the Labour conference yesterday that "one child threatening or abusing one teacher in one of our schools is too many" as she sought to regain her reputation as a safe pair of hands as education secretary.

Morris, who received a standing ovation which was led by Tony Blair, concluded: "We have chosen ambition and reform over caution and settling for second best.

"Falter now and I know we'll live to regret it. Make the right decision and it will be one of the proudest achievements of Labour in power."