Political correctness gone mad

Theresa May, Shadow Education Secretary

The Department for Education has distanced itself from the publication, saying that it neither funds nor distributes the booklet - and it says there is no ban on the game being advocated.

Instead it says that the booklet "merely advises that teachers might think of less confrontational alternatives".

But the Conservative education spokeswoman, Theresa May, called the advice "political correctness gone mad".

"Children have playedand enjoyed musical chairs for years," she said.

"This is yet more interference by a government, not content with just telling teachers what to do, they are now telling children what games they can and cannot play."