It is difficult not to have sympathy with the Keighley parents who are remaining defiant over a school's insistence that they purchase their children's new blazers from the official supplier. The campaigners say that rather than buy the blazer with integral badge from a schools outfitter, they should be allowed to shop around for a similar blazer and sew a badge on to it.

Every parent who over the last few weeks has been seeking to kit out a child for its new school, or replace earlier uniforms which have been outgrown, will know that it can be a very expensive exercise indeed. In the case of some schools, where uniform demands go all the way to include such items as sports clothing as well as the rest of the uniform, the bill can run into hundreds of pounds. So it's no surprise that some parents want to try to reduce that bill.

However, the head of Oakbank School is right to want to maintain a high standard by insisting that all children at the school be dressed in the same uniform. Any breach of this rule would set a precedent and lead to youngsters turning up in all manner of variations.

Which puts the ball firmly in the court of the clothing suppliers and schools outfitters, which often have a monopoly or near-monopoly of the market.

Perhaps the time has come for the Council to step in to limit the number of basic blazer colours required for the district's schools, thereby achieving a situation where economies of scale would bring down prices to more competitive levels.