Michael Gove, the education secretary, is writing to all MPs in areas where schools are said to be underperforming - mainly schools in Labour-led authorities - demanding that they side with him to open up the education system "to the new providers who can raise standards".

Gove has started his campaign against "the forces of conservatism" by writing to MPs in Leicester and Derby on Tuesday asking them whether they want to "keep the door closed to new solutions and stick rigidly to the status quo, which is failing the children in their areas".