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The clamour for his removal culminated in a protest by more than

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The clamour for his removal culminated in a protest by more than 300 students and staff last week. Mr Gair had previously resisted calls for Dr Ellis's removal, insisting that staff were free to proffer controversial views and test received wisdom without fear of removal. But Dr Ellis has refused to guarantee no future utterances about racial superiority. Dr Ellis was told yesterday afternoon that he was being suspended from his duties as a lecturer in Russian and Slavonic studies while the disciplinary process ­ which could take months ­ was under way.

Mr Gair said Dr Ellis had acted in breach of the university's equality and diversity policy, "in a way that is wholly at odds with our values". He added: "We asked him to apologise for the distress which his remarks on race and other matters have caused to many people inside and outside the university He has not agreed to do that. Nor has he given us an undertaking to make it clear in public that scientific questions about the differences, if any, between different racial groups are questions which lie a long way from his own area of academic expertise." Mr Gair had warned Dr Ellis in a letter: "If you make any such further comment without the university's express consent, then you will be committing a breach of the implied term of trust and confidence, a breach of which will be good cause for your dismissal.'' Dr Ellis indicated through friends that the threat of dismissal had infuriated him and that he considered such a ban a violation of human rights legislation. The race relations legislation under which Leeds is suspending Dr Ellis requires public bodies to give due regard to the need "to promote equality of opportunity and good relations between persons of different racial groups". But the university's disciplinary investigation will be made more difficult by the lack of evidence that Dr Ellis has treated any of his pupils in a prejudicial way.. Tony Blair will face a twin assault on the future of the 164 remaining grammar schools as his controversial education reforms go through the Commons. Labour MPs are planning to table an amendment to legislation aimed at scrapping the 11-plus and ending selective education. They will also seek talks with the Education Secretary, Ruth Kelly, over simplifying the rules whereby parents can demand a ballot on ending selection in their own schools.Labour MPs have been bolstered by a series of events which they believe have pulled the rug from under the pro-grammar school campaigners.First, there is the new cross-party consensus between the Conservatives and Labour that there should be no new grammar schools, with the Toryleader, David Cameron, saying he would not support moves to increase their number.David Chaytor, Labour MP for Bury North and a member of the Commons Education and Skills Committee, said: "That highlights an anomaly.

Why continue with selection in any shape or form? It seems to me we are saying it would be wrong to have selection in East Sussex (where there is none) but it's OK to continue with it in Kent."Mr Chaytor, who has just been appointed to the committee set up to scrutinise the legislation, plans to table an amendment aimed at bringing selection to an end.Labour MPs argue that even those who oppose abolishing grammar schools now believe that 11 is too young to make such an important decision about a child's future.In an interview with the satellite TV programmeTeachers TV earlier this week, David Willetts, the Conservative education spokesman, talked about the "brutality" of the 11-plus test - sentencing some of his friends to a secondary-modern education.Some Labour MPs argue that instead of abolishing grammar schools, they could be run along the lines of sixth-form colleges, offering an academic route to youngsters from the age of 14.Mr Chaytor is planning to seek talks with Ms Kelly and her deputy, the Schools Minister, Jacqui Smith, over making it easier for parents to demand ballots on ending selection. At present they can trigger a ballot only if20 per cent of those eligible sign a petition.In areas that are totally selective, that means 20 per cent of all parents. But in areas where there is just one selective school it means 20 per cent of all parents at schools which have sent a pupil to the grammar school in the past few years - with the result that parents of children at state primary schools on its doorstep did not have a vote, while those who had sent their children to private schools did."If you had to get the support of 20 per cent of the electorate to trigger a general election, we'd never have one," said one anti-selection campaigner.At a Commons seminar earlier this month, Ms Smith expressed sympathy with demands to make balloting simpler.Mr Blair opposes abolishing grammar schools. However, grammar school heads are worried that, since his proposals for "trust" schools only cleared their second reading with Conservative support, he may come under pressure to make more concessions to backbenchers.MPs will begin the committee stage debate on the Bill on Tuesday. It will last until mid-May, and the legislation may then have to wait until November to get on to the statute book.n The Conservatives said yesterday that the ambition of the Chancellor, Gordon Brown, to close the gap between spending on state and private schools was not new.

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