Chairman of the Support Kent Schools campaign is Eric Hammond, former General Secretary of the Electricians Union and Chairman of the Governors of Gravesend Grammar School for Boys.

He lives in Gravesend. He is a lifelong member of the Labour Party and was on the Monopolies and Mergers Commission. He is now a member of the Employment Appeals Tribunal.

He says "Grammar Schools ballots offer a significant threat to the future of secondary education in Kent, and it is not just the Grammars that are at risk"

"If these ballots are lost, all secondary schools will have to reorganise. This will be painful as there will not be any Government money to fund the process. Children's education will suffer. The Government has said that parents will make the decision. We welcome this but need to mobilise and inform parents of the dangers."