The Conservatives will confirm today that they will allow popular schools to expand even if there are neighbouring schools with surplus places.

David Willetts, head of Tory policy co-odination, will tell the Social Market Foundation that they would increase school budgets to cover an increase in capacity of up to 10 per cent.

And in an interview with the Guardian today, shadow education secretary Tim Yeo says his pupil passport plans will end the need for parents to buy houses in the right catchment area to guarantee access to the best schools.