EAST Lancashire Labour MP Gordon Prentice of Pendle is opposing government plans for new "faith based" schools claiming they will increase divisions between the races and not reduce them.

Earlier this week he was one of 45 government back benchers to vote against the plan put forward by Education Secretary Estelle Morris.

However, East Lancashire's lone Tory MP Nigel Evans is in favour of the new religious schools and said Mr Prentice and his colleagues were trying to "wreck" the plan.

Talks are under way which could give Blackburn state Islamic high and primary schools.

They would be the first in Lancashire -- others already exist in Bradford, Birmingham, Liverpool and Brent in London

Former health secretary Frank Dobson introduced an amendment to the current Education Bill that would require all schools based on faith to take at least a quarter of pupils from other religions.

Despite its defeat, Mr Prentice is still opposed to more faith schools. He said: "I don't believe that more schools based on faith will reduce discrimination and division. I think they would make it worse."