Private firms could be allowed to run schools "This plan is a report by an independent think tank and should not be taken seriously as any reflection of Tory policy now or in the future," one government source said. Free schools, which Mr Gove has pioneered the idea of free schools since 2010, are non-selective, non-profit and operate independently within the state sector that offers local choice in education. People that can operate them include teachers, universities, charities, trusts, religious or voluntary groups and businesses but are funded by central government. The group have complete control over curriculum, teachers' pay and conditions and the length of school terms and days. They are funded by the Department for Education (DfE) and do not have to follow the National Curriculum and have been established as academies that are not connected to any local authority. But the book states: "Relying on not-for-profit organisations and parent groups, which have limited funds, when Government's capital spending is constrained, is not enough. The for-profit sector can play a role here, providing the money to get new schools set up. It will be important, of course, to convince the public that this does not stem from an ideological position: that somehow private is better than public and Tories are pursuing privatisation in awe of money-making. This is not true. "It adds: "This is a sensible, hard-headed policy which provides alternative funding sources to boost diversity and ultimately quality of education in this country, while - and this should be said time and time again - ensuring state education remains free at the point of use." According to its website Bright Blue, formed in 2010, is a "grassroots movement which wants the Conservative Party to keep modernising and seeks fresh thinking to meet today's challenges." It is a 2,000-strong group whose advisory board includes Theresa May, the Home Secretary; Maria Miller, the Culture Secretary; and David Willetts, the Universities minister. Last night a DfE spokesman declined to comment. A spokesman for Bright Blue did not return calls.