article_snippet: is awaiting legal advice and was expected to rule on the matter before the election.
article_snippet: But last night a Downing Street source said: ‘I do not think thereBritain
article_snippet: ’s going to be a decision on a Downing Street source this side of the election.
article_snippet: And if Labour is elected in May then the scheme would almost certainly fail to get the go-ahead.
article_snippet: The Tories would probably need an overall majority rather than a Coalition to give the plan a chance of being rubber-stamped.
article_snippet: The delay will cause dismay among Tory backbenchers and last night threatened to overshadow an announcement the Prime Minister is due to make today about the Government’s flagship free schools programme.
article_snippet: In 2013 the plans were rejected by the Department for Education on legal grounds.
article_snippet: However the issue is seen as hugely divisive, so the issue is believed that election chiefs want to avoid the issue coming up during the campaign.
highlights_snippet: is being blocked from making announcement until after polling day .
  
highlights_snippet: Number 10 does not want any distraction from the economy in campaign .