Grammar schools should be allowed to expand and accept more children, David Cameron said yesterday.

In marked contrast to previous statements, the Prime Minister said he strongly supported the right of ‘good’ schools – including grammars – to grow.

His comments will be welcomed by Tory supporters who say new selective schools will help drive up standards and offer better social mobility to working and middle class children.

David Cameron today backed the creation of new grammar schools - despite opposing them in opposition

It was also seen as a coded endorsement of plans by an existing grammar in Kent to build a new ‘satellite’ school nearby – a move that could set an important precedent for other institutions.

Mr Cameron’s comments contradict those he made in May 2007, when he declared them to be an ‘electoral albatross’ during a major party row over the issue.

At the time, he insisted there was a ‘hopelessness’ about calls for more grammars because they represented the idea that ‘this country will only ever be able to offer a decent education to a select few’.

MP Graham Brady resigned as the party’s Europe spokesman over the issue.

The Prime Minister visited the Sussex Functional Skills Centre in Brighton, East Sussex, today to meet a group of apprentices

But recent months have seen a growing clamour from some backbench Tory MPs for more grammars.

Two senior Cabinet ministers, Home Secretary Theresa May and Defence Secretary Michael Fallon, have also backed plans for grammars in their constituencies.

Far from being some winning slogan, a pledge to build more grammar schools would be an electoral albatross David Cameron, May 2007

Mr Cameron’s comments will also be seen as a response to Ukip, which has made support for more grammar schools a major plank of its education policy.

Addressing supporters yesterday at a school in Hove, East Sussex, the PM said: ‘I strongly support the right of all good schools to expand. I think that’s very important and that should include grammar schools.

'Under this Government grammar schools have been able to expand and that is all to the good.’

The Tory leader said he wanted every parent to have ‘what I have for my three young children’ who attend a ‘good state primary’ in London.

‘It shouldn’t be a lottery, it shouldn’t be a postcode matter, it should be something everyone gets, the right to have a good school place for your children,’ he added.

‘The only way you can do that is to have more good schools and that’s exactly what this Government’s programme has been all about.’

I strongly support the right of all good schools to expand. I think that's very important and that should include grammar schools David Cameron, yesterday

Mr Cameron’s three children attend a Church of England state primary school in West London.

His daughter Nancy, 11, is expected to attend a top state secondary from September.

The PM’s comments came as he responded to a question about a proposal by Weald of Kent girls’ grammar school in Tonbridge to open a new campus nine miles away in Sevenoaks.

In December 2013 the plans were rejected by the Department for Education.

Mr Cameron said he did not want to ‘pre-empt’ a fresh decision, but added: ‘The principle is very clear: good schools should have the freedom to expand.’

On Monday the Mail reported that Education Secretary Nicky Morgan was ‘on the verge’ of signing off the plan, which is in Mr Fallon’s Kent constituency.

Mr Cameron visited the Royal Naval base in Portsmouth, Hampshire, today where he was shown plans with Captain Iain Greenlees (left) and base commander Commodore Jeremy Rigby