Michael Gove has urged Labour leaders in Bradford to perform a U-turn and back the growing number of ‘free schools’.

The Education Secretary spoke up in the Commons after Bradford’s over-subscribed ‘One in a Million’ free school opened last week, turning some potential pupils away.

Councillor Ralph Berry, Bradford Council’s executive member for education, has described himself as “quite cynical” about the policy – describing many as a “waste of public money”.

In the Commons, Shipley MP Philip Davies said: “One in a Million free school opened last week in Bradford and was over-subscribed.”

Mr Gove replied: “I will do everything possible to ensure that I, or another minister, visits Bradford as soon as possible. It is instructive that, in Bradford, politicians of every party – including Respect – apart from Labour, are backing free schools.”