But both the Catholic and Protestant clergy in the North oppose mixed schools.

He said that while he didn't oppose individual schools, he wasn't saying that Labour backed the policy.

The motion includes calls to set up local campaigns to oppose free schools being set up.

As an aside I oppose free schools because:

In addition some clerics opposed the amalgamation of boys and girls schools as being morally dangerous.

He also believes there is no such thing as the separation of church and state, and opposes public schools.

He opposed purely secular schools, holding that "the minister and the schoolmaster are the two columns on which rests the edifice of the republic."

In the legislature, Mitchell opposed denominational schools and supported the creation of municipal government.

He insisted he was not dramatically shifting the party's position, adding: "Andy never said he had an absolute policy of opposing free schools either."