Free Schools - repackaged / dumped / in the long grass ?

Ok, I admit it, I've taken my eye of the ball. The earlier days at least of Nick Clegg's leadership were characterised by attention seeking media pronouncements. One of these was much loose talk about 'free schools'. Last September at Conference I went to a NUT fringe to find David Laws in a slim minority in his defence of Academy Schools and seemingly selection.

Now I see David Laws as being just about the last Lib Dem I'd like to be trapped in a room with, so having him as Education (or is that 'just' Schools) spokesperson made / makes me feel uneasy. Do I need to feel nauseous ? What happened to the 'free school' idea ? Has it been re-packaged, dumped or sat in a policy siding somewhere ?

I need to know !!

Clegg ? I still largely pretty unimpressed and hardly enthused, although the content of the Spring Conference leader's speech appears better than I've seen him deliver previously. It doesn't help him in the compare and contrast stakes that Dr Cable is listened to with a genuine respect, inside and outside the party, that Nick can only dream about.