Tony Blair today promised there would be no turning back on his plans create state schools which match the standards of the best in the private sector.

Mr Blair threw down the gauntlet to critics within his own party in a Downing Street speech, intended to introduce tomorrow’s education White Paper, which he said will represent a "pivotal moment" in the life of his Government.

Tensions have been reporte in the Cabinet over the reforms, which invite schools to leave local authority control and take control of their own size, curriculum and entry requirements. Opponents claim they do away with the ideal of comprehensive education.

The Prime Minister acknowledged that the proposals have their critics, and that he faces a tough job to get them all through.

"I have no doubt that the changes will be controversial in certain respects, but I have also no doubt that they are right for the country, and in particular right so that every child in our country, not just those from a privileged background, get the best chance to succeed," Mr Blair told an audience of parents.

He said that the Government had raised educational achievement since 1997, but that much more must be done.

"If the critics should accept the improvement, we must accept the challenge. We have to do better.

"We must do better to tackle the pockets of deep educational disadvantage; do better in lifting schools from average to good; do better in enabling more good schools to become genuine centres of excellence, giving as good an education in the state sector as anyone can buy in the private school system."

Mr Blair said that the reforms aimed to create a system of "independent, self-governing state schools, with fair funding and fair admissions, but driven above all by the needs of pupils, wishes of parents and the dynamism of our best teachers".

The Prime Minister said that within two years, he wanted "virtually every secondary school" to be a specialist school.

By 2010, there will be at least 200 City Academies. He added that the Academies could provide a legal model for independent state schools, with the possibility of schools which are now in the independent sector joining the state system on an agreed basis.

Mr Blair envisaged the development of national and regional educational "brands", possibly led by outstanding schools such as Thomas Telford, or by educational charities such as Mercers or the United Learning Trust or linked to leading universities and business foundations.

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