The 42-year-old former lawyer has been nicknamed 'Ms U-turn ' after she softened the Government 's approach to the teaching unions and performed a spectacular climbdown on gay marriage . Controversial Education Secretary Nicky Morgan will keep her job if the Tories win the election , the Prime Minister revealed yesterday . David Cameron said Mrs Morgan will be put in charge of plans to create 500 new free schools , which he claimed would drive up standards across the country . He said the schools – which can be set up by parents , faith groups or other organisations – were helping to wrest control of education out of the hands of 'pointy-heads in Whitehall ' . He claimed the Tories are 'the only party that is opening up the education system so we can get more good places for your children ' , adding : 'With me as Prime Minister and Nicky Morgan as Education Secretary , that 's exactly what you 're going to get . ' Mrs Morgan is said to be 'delighted ' to be the first Cabinet minister to be guaranteed her job if her party wins in May . But the move will alarm critics , who have accused her of watering down the radical approach to schools reform taken by her predecessor , Michael Gove . The 42-year-old former lawyer has been nicknamed 'Ms U-turn ' after she softened the Government 's approach to the teaching unions and performed a spectacular climbdown on gay marriage , which she opposed before joining the Cabinet . But friends say she is only carrying out Downing Street 's orders to mend fences with the teaching establishment , which Mr Gove derided as 'the Blob ' . A Tory source said last night : 'The Prime Minister is a big fan of Nicky Morgan – he thinks she is doing a good job . ' The Education Secretary confirmed that a future Tory government would not allow free schools to make a profit – an idea that was floated by Mr Gove but blocked by the Lib Dems . Free schools legislation allows groups to establish new state-funded schools which are independent of local authorities . As with academies , they do not have to teach the National Curriculum . Fewer than 300 have been opened to date , although 49 were given the green light yesterday . Labour has claimed it would not allow any more to open – and warned existing free schools could be placed under some form of local authority control . The move will alarm critics , who have accused her of watering down the radical approach to schools reform taken by her predecessor , Michael Gove ( pictured ) But Mr Cameron said a Tory-led government would open 500 new free schools after the election . Speaking at an academy in West London yesterday , he hailed the reforms as 'the most successful schools programme in recent British history ' . He also insisted he is not trying to block controversial plans to allow a grammar school in Kent to expand by opening an 'annexe ' in another town , saying : 'Grammar schools are good schools and I like good schools . 'Like other schools , if they are good , and want to expand , they should be able to . ' Mrs Morgan is expected to take legal advice in the coming days on whether she can approve the expansion of the Weald of Kent Grammar School in Tonbridge , which wants to open a new site nine miles away in Sevenoaks .
PM says Mrs Morgan will be in charge of plans to create 500 new schools . Said to be 'delighted ' to be first to be guaranteed job if party wins election . But critics accuse her of watering down radical approach of Michael Gove .