JOHN PRESCOTT will swing behind efforts to find a compromise on the Government’s schools Bill today with a speech calling on Labour MPs to back the measure.

The Deputy Prime Minister, who has publicly voiced misgivings that the Bill would damage the prospects of poorer children, will tell MPs that they should not allow worries about parts of it to cause a split in the party and help the Conservatives.

Mr Prescott has been closely involved in talks with Tony Blair and Gordon Brown to find a way of containing the massive Labour rebellion on the Bill without sacrificing its main principles. He is known, however, to be embarrassed about remarks in which he suggested that the problem with good schools was that “everyone wants to go there”.

Those words were repudiated by Mr Blair at a Downing Street press conference and Mr Prescott has been uneasy at being portrayed as a rebel within the Cabinet.

Today’s speech in Hull will demonstrate that he is fully on board and behind the Bill.

It will, however, add to the speculation that concessions will be made, especially over toughening the schools admission code and obliging schools to act in accordance with it.

More than 90 MPs have criticised the proposed trust schools with self-governing powers. Ministers are expected to offer local authorities a “strategic oversight” to prevent that.

The ideas have been tested in backbench meetings in recent weeks and there is cautious optimism among ministers that the legislation will get through.

Mr Prescott and Mr Brown have been telling Mr Blair that the aim must be to get the Bill on to the statute books without having to rely on Tory support.

David Willetts, the Shadow Education Secretary, said last night: “Even after his humiliating defeat this week Tony Blair should not climb down. He does not need to worry about his backbenchers, because we will back him if he carries out real reform.”

David Chaytor, one of the rebel Labour MPs, said that the possible compromises were an important step forward but there was still much more to be done.

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