All three of the main parties ’ education spokesmen revealed they would have no problem with the next Education Secretary sending their children to private school . The outbreak of honesty among politicians came when the BBC ’ s Daily Politics show presenter Andrew Neil , asked if it would be a ‘ acceptable for an education secretary to send their children to a private school ’ . Tristram Hunt , Labour ’ s shadow education secretary answered first and said : ‘ Yes . In certain circumstances ’ . He also confirmed Labour could fire the thousands of ‘ unqualified ’ teachers across the state sector . All three of the main parties ’ education spokesmen - pictured on the BBC 's Daily Politics show today - revealed they would have no problem with the next Education Secretary sending their children to private school . Two of his three children go to a state primary school in north London , with the third expected to go to the same school . But he has not ruled out switching them to independent schools . In contrast , Labour leader Ed Miliband refused to publicly support Labour ’ s deputy Scottish Leader , Anas Sarwar , when he chose to send his son to a private school in Glasgow . Privately-educated Schools Minister David Laws – who has no children - immediately said ‘ yes ’ when asked whether a future education secretary should be able to send their children private . And Education Secretary , Nicky Morgan , who was privately educated but sends her son to a state primary , said : ‘ Yes , you do what ’ s right for the child. ’ Ukip ’ s James Arnott and the Green Party ’ s James Humphreys also agreed that there was no problem with a future Education Secretary sending their children private – although Mr Arnott added it would be an ‘ indictment ’ of the quality of state schools . Just seven per cent of children in the UK are privately educated . Ukip has pledged to bring back grammar schools by converting some existing comprehensives but Mrs Morgan said it would be a ‘ step backwards ’ and the plan ‘ does not respect the outstanding schools that we see up and down the country ’ . Tristram Hunt , Labour ’ s shadow education secretary , was asked if it was acceptable for an Education Secretary to send their child private . He said : ‘ Yes . In certain circumstances ’ The rare frankness about whether they would send their children private is in stark contrast to the controversy sparked by Labour left-winger Diane Abbott , who sent her son to the exclusive fee-paying City of London school . Miss Abbott had previously criticised Harriet Harman , now Labour ’ s deputy leader , for sending her children to a selective grammar school . While many politicians on the Left have avoided paying to send their children to get the best education , they have managed to get them into elite taxpayer-funded schools . Both Tony Blair – who converted to Catholicism after standing down – and atheist Nick Clegg , bagged places at leading London Oratory for their children . Both men are married to Catholics . Put to the three main party spokesmen that they were all privately educated and Oxbridge graduates , Mr Hunt agreed that the ‘ circle is tightening ’ on top professions . Mr Hunt also signalled Labour would sack all the ‘ unqualified ’ teachers by the end of their first term in government if they had not signed up to training . Labour leader Ed Miliband , who stopped for a selfie with passers by at Sheffield railway station today , has vowed to halt the Coalition 's education reforms . The Prime Minister , campaigning with supporters in Cornwall today , has vowed to turn all failing schools into academies . Some 17,000 teachers do not have ‘ Qualified Teacher Status ’ after Michael Gove , the previous Tory Education Secretary , waived the rules to attract more professionals and subject experts into schools . But Mr Hunt said Labour would be prepared to fire them . ‘ At the end of a parliament , if you ’ re not qualified or working towards qualified teacher status , we don ’ t think that you ’ ve shown the enthusiasm and the respect to your pupils ... . you don ’ t deserve to be in the classroom…we need high quality teaching. ” . He said firing them would be ‘ a sign of the respect we attach to teachers ’ . ‘ We think it is a demanding , fulfilling profession . We don ’ t think anyone can turn up to be a teacher . You need training , ’ he said . Mr Hunt himself is technically unqualified but occasionally teaches history in London schools and university . He did not reveal if he had plans to fire himself should Labour win the election .
Main parties ' school spokesmen backed right to opt out of state education . They were asked if an Education Secretary could choose private school . Labour ’ s shadow education secretary said : 'Yes . In certain circumstances ' Education Secretary Nicky Morgan agreed , as did the Lib Dem David Laws .