Church of England and other faith school providers are facing a challenge of failing to treat the concerns of parents, public and fellow-believers with seriousness and respect.

Inclusive schools coalition Accord has welcomed the launch of the Tony Blair Faith Foundation's new education project, but questioned whether schools that discriminate in their admissions can ever live up to its principles.

Members of a range of religious traditions - Christian, Buddhist, Jewish, Hindu and Muslim - have issued a joint public call to end religion-based discrimination on admissions and employment in Britain's schools.

Dismissing those who want to reform faith schools as 'useful idiots' for a 'secularist conspiracy' misrepresents the facts, feeds absolutism and undermines sensible debate, say Simon Barrow & Jonathan Bartley. It also shows how weak the anti-reform case really is.