Mrs Hutchings denies being a "political pawn"

Leader Michael Howard has promised a moratorium on closures if the Conservatives win the next election.

Maria Hutchings, from Essex, whose son has special needs, said Tory councils should adopt that policy immediately.

But the Tories said councils had little discretion in applying official guidelines that promote children's "inclusion" in mainstream schools.

Mrs Hutchings, from Benfleet, first came to public attention when she challenged Prime Minister Tony Blair during a live TV debate last month.

She then appeared at a Conservative Party news conference alongside Mr Howard and shadow education secretary Tim Collins, publicising their party's policy.

But she denied being a "political pawn" in backing their proposed ending of school closures.

Upon election of a new Conservative government the law will be changed to allow parents of special needs children to choose the most appropriate education for their sons and daughters Conservative Party

She said her main concern was that the official presumption that children should attend a mainstream school meant provision was being polarised between schools for those with severe difficulties, and mainstream schooling.

Schools for children with moderate difficulties - known as MLD schools - were the ones that were losing out.

Mrs Hutchings said most of the children attending such schools had already been in mainstream education and failed to thrive there.

Inclusion often meant being taught in a corridor or a corner of a classroom.

In MLD schools they might achieve some form of independence, which would benefit the country as a whole.

"Conservative councils should now stop trying to close those schools or merge them because otherwise they are making a laughing stock of what Michael Howard and Tim Collins said at that press conference."

Spoke out

A party spokesman said councils had "very little discretion" to act outside government guidelines.

"We would never encourage councils of whatever persuasion to break the law," he said.

"But they may be assured that upon election of a new Conservative government the law will be changed to allow parents of special needs children to choose the most appropriate education for their sons and daughters."