Grammar vs acadamies, what is the difference?

[Eleusis]

I'm just wondering why both major political parties are running around supporting academies rather than grammars schools? What do academies offer that grammars don't?

no one has a view?

They are not selective, or the one I know of isn't. I think Academies are partly funded by business, I may be completely wrong.

grammars are academically selective, academies not.
academies are meant to be "phoenix" schools, investing in excellent facilities etc on the sit eof an old "failing" inner city school
they are generally supported by business but not necessarily financially

So, who sets the entrance criteria? Are they part of the LEA? Who governs academies?

here

Organisation
Academies are publicly funded independent schools. Their independent status allows them the flexibility to be innovative and creative in their curriculum, staffing and governance. Academies, therefore, work in different ways to traditional Local Authority (LA) schools.
Governance
We expect Academies to be set up as companies limited by guarantee with charitable status. Each Academy will be under the control of its governing body, which will have a clearly defined strategic role in shaping the success of the Academy.

The DfES does not prescribe the numbers of governors on an Academy governing body, though it is usual for an Academy to have around 13 governors. The Sponsor is able to appoint the majority of trustees (governors), typically around seven out of thirteen governors, and this must be agreed with the DfES. Each Academy governing body is also made up of the principal, in an ex-officio capacity, a local authority representative, and at least one elected parent representative. Most Academies also have a teacher governor (either elected or appointed), a staff governor (either elected or appointed) and many include community representatives. Where an Academy is an extended school, they may consider having representatives from the various joined-up services on the governing body. The governing body can also appoint co-opted governors. All members of an Academy governing body are appointed on the basis of the contribution that they will make to the school and have a legal duty to act only in the interest of the Academy.

Thanks, Harpsi.