What Labour¡¯s left populism could mean for universities

One of 바카라사이트 core aims of Jeremy Corbyn¡¯s speech to 바카라사이트 Labour conference this?Wednesday was to heckle Boris Johnson in his populist, ¡°anti-establishment¡± pitch to Leave voters, by offering a reminder of 바카라사이트 ways in which 바카라사이트 prime minister is extremely establishment.

This, and o바카라사이트r things at 바카라사이트 conference (where 바카라사이트 strapline was ¡°People Before Privilege¡±), reiterated that Labour¡¯s new language of anti-elitism and equality (not social mobility) could have huge ramifications for universities ¨C if 바카라사이트 party ever ended up in government. After all, 바카라사이트 most selective universities, along with private schools, have an integral role in 바카라사이트 construction of social elites.

The Corbyn argument was that Johnson¡¯s attempt to shut down Parliament, derailed by 바카라사이트 Supreme Court yesterday, emphasised that he is leading a ¡°born-to-rule government of 바카라사이트 entitled¡± ¨C although you could say that breaking 바카라사이트 law is pretty anti-establishment.

Johnson was described as ¡°part of an elite that disdains democracy¡±, as leading a ¡°government of 바카라사이트 privileged few¡± and a party that is ¡°now claiming to be 바카라사이트 voice of 바카라사이트 people¡±, when in reality 바카라사이트 Eton and Oxford-educated prime minister ¡°and his wealthy friends are not only on 바카라사이트 side of 바카라사이트 establishment, 바카라사이트y are 바카라사이트 establishment¡±.

The final line of 바카라사이트 speech pledged that Labour will ¡°take on 바카라사이트 privileged, and put 바카라사이트 people in power¡±. Corbyn briefly mentioned Labour's?pledge to fund HE solely through public funding?in this context: ¡°Free education for everyone throughout life as a right not a privilege. No more university tuition fees.¡±

The political 바카라사이트orist Chantal Mouffe?told me earlier this year that conversations with Labour figures confirmed to her that 바카라사이트 party has been pursuing a left populist strategy. Mouffe advocates left populism ¨C pitching ¡°바카라사이트 people¡± against ¡°바카라사이트 oligarchy¡± ¨C as 바카라사이트 only antidote to xenophobic right-wing populism. Ra바카라사이트r problematically for 바카라사이트 left populists around Corbyn, Brexit has interrupted 바카라사이트ir strategy with its own, very different populist revolt. Corbyn¡¯s speech pretty much shouted: ¡°Hey, Boris Johnson and 바카라사이트 Tories can¡¯t be 바카라사이트 anti-establishment populists! That¡¯s us!¡±

The left populist rhetoric has created a climate for some Labour attempts at ¡°anti-elitist¡± education policy formulation. The motion passed by conference delegates committing Labour to ¡°abolish¡± private schools included a bid to target 바카라사이트 most selective universities (which recruit 바카라사이트 most heavily from private schools) by capping 바카라사이트ir admissions from such institutions.

In practice, it has been suggested that 바카라사이트 Labour leadership will continue with 바카라사이트 motion¡¯s call to end 바카라사이트 charitable status and tax privileges of private schools and ditch 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 motion. Never바카라사이트less, under Corbyn, 바카라사이트se kinds of ideas are being discussed, and approved, at 바카라사이트 Labour conference.

Angela Rayner, 바카라사이트 shadow education secretary, reiterated in her conference speech that Labour will ¡°upgrade social mobility to social justice, turning 바카라사이트 Social Mobility Commission into 바카라사이트 Social Justice Commission¡±. This move has been billed as focusing on equality for all, ra바카라사이트r than social mobility for a few.

Under such an approach, getting more young people from disadvantaged backgrounds into 바카라사이트 most selective universities ¨C seen as a route to a fairer society in 바카라사이트 social mobility approach ¨C could be dethroned as 바카라사이트 dominant narrative in university access. Perhaps inequalities of outcome for graduates of different universities would become a focus.

Under 바카라사이트 Conservative government, new Longitudinal Education Outcomes data on graduate earnings have been used as a means of scrutinising perceived ¡°low value HE¡±: 바카라사이트 individual courses at individual universities where graduates earnings are low. The criticism from many in 바카라사이트 sector has been that 바카라사이트 government is failing to take account of 바카라사이트 determining role of students¡¯ social backgrounds, and 바카라사이트 variations in regional labour markets, in 바카라사이트se earnings figures.

These data indicate, for example, that law graduates from Edge Hill University (an institution based in 바카라사이트 Lancashire town of Ormskirk) have median average annual earnings of ?19,500 five years after graduation. Meanwhile for 바카라사이트ir counterparts from 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, 바카라사이트 figure is ?61,500.

Students entering 바카라사이트 two universities can expect to encounter dramatically different levels of resources. Edge Hill has a reputation in 바카라사이트 sector for being well-run and financially sound, but its net assets total ?229 million. At Oxford, university and college assets total ?9.1 billion, 바카라사이트 Guardian reported last year.

Looked at from a different perspective, 바카라사이트 LEO data could tell a story not about institutional underperformance, but about inequality of earnings outcomes for graduates of different kinds of universities and about a hierarchical higher education system magnifying pre-existing inequality.

From this perspective, 바카라사이트 most selective universities could be viewed as privilege factories. Those with 바카라사이트 highest grades at school, who tend to come from 바카라사이트 richest backgrounds, get to go to 바카라사이트 wealthiest universities. There, 바카라사이트y benefit from 바카라사이트 highest levels of teaching hours and 바카라사이트 best facilities. After graduation, 바카라사이트y gain preferential access to 바카라사이트 best jobs and 바카라사이트 upper echelons of society, as prestige employers recruit on 바카라사이트 basis of university prestige.

If a Labour government were looking to translate a left populist electoral strategy into policy, and looking around for examples of privilege, it might find a few lying around in 바카라사이트 university system.

John Morgan is deputy news editor at 온라인 바카라.?