Local GP Louise Irvine says parents' stress is ignored

The party, based in the London Borough of Lewisham is campaigning for the opening of a new non-selective school which would relieve the shortage of places in the south London borough.

"There is no apathy among voters - it's just that people have lost confidence in the political process. We want to reclaim democracy, putting the constituents first," said spokesperson, Louise Irvine.

"Politicians are always talking about education, using the most emotive language to show that they care. But it's all hollow and they find so many ways of not hearing what we're saying."

"The education system is geared towards the producers and not the consumers. It can be pre-occupied by schools, but not children. There's no check on parental satisfaction and no real voice for parents," said Ms Irvine, who works as a local family doctor.

'We want a voice'

Campaigner and parent Ajay Sharma said: "It is truly amazing that people are coming together and saying 'We want a voice'."

"We want to say what the issues are for us and we want people to take notice of those issues."

Ajay Sharma: "People are standing together"

Six candidates are standing and the party hopes that this will begin a process of local politics responding to practical issues, rather than the "control freakery" of party politics.

"Local politics should be turbulent and vibrant, not a one-party state," said Ms Irvine.

The founding of the party, which held its inaugural meeting last month, follows longstanding concerns over the lack of places in parts of the capital.

Ms Irvine said that at the beginning of the last summer holidays, about 100 children were still without places.

Confusing

The party is campaigning for a reform of the complex and often confusing ways in which schools allocate places.

Comprehensive, specialist, faith-based and foundation schools can all operate in the same area, but apply different admissions rules.

"There is a lack of accountability, transparency or even predictability. It becomes a lottery," she said.

The offering of places to the most able pupils by selective schools also distorted the intake of other schools, she said, leaving them with more students from lower ability ranges.

The party is also campaigning on other education issues, including school improvement, bullying and exclusions.

Having formally registered as a party means the campaigners can have the name of the party included on the ballot paper, whereas candidates standing as independents would have only their names.