By political editor Paul Francis

David Cameron has been forced to defend his party’s policy on "free" schools after the leader of Kent County Council triggered a row when he warned it could see council-run schools losing out.

Cllr Paul Carter highlighted concerns about the impact on education authorities if parents were allowed to set up and run their own schools.

He has since issued a statement saying he fully supports the party’s policy.

But the row put the Conservatives on the defensive and Mr Cameron sought to minimise the fallout while out campaigning today.

Free schools are a major plank of Conservative education policy and are modelled on a similar system operated in Sweden.

Following his comments on the plans which were broadcast on Radio 4's Today, programme, Conservative party managers issued a statement from Cllr Carter which said: "I am 100 per cent behind Michael Gove’s education plans, which will introduce more competition, give parents more choice and help drive up standards across the country.

"The BBC is trying to create a division between us that doesn’t exist."

"An issue I have been discussing with Michael is ensuring that funding between different types of schools is fair and equitable, and I’m totally confident that this would be the case with a Conservative government."

But his criticisms were seized on by Labour, with schools secretary Ed Balls saying Cllr Carter’s comments had "let the cat out of the bag" and revealed how the policy would mean budget cuts to council-run schools.

Mr Balls said: "Not only do parents face the threat of school buildings being cancelled and teachers being cut, now the Tory leader of Kent has confirmed their school policy would mean even further cuts to existing schools."

Cllr Carter said the Conservatives should guard against doing anything that might encourage destructive rather than constructive competition.

"At the moment the more academies and free schools you operate, under the current academy funding arrangements, the less maintained schools would get," he said.

Read our report on Cllr Carter's comments yesterday here.

"Secondary schools are around £4,000 plus per pupil. If 10 per cent, 12 per cent, 15 per cent of that was taken away from maintained schools and given to free schools and academies - local authorities still have statutory functions to perform.

"They have to arrange and organise school admissions, statements for special educational needs pupils, a whole range or services that need paying for.

"That can’t be taken away from us and given to free schools or academies because they don’t have the statutory duty to carry out these responsibilities."

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