V-cs unilaterally disarmed

The Labour party has shot 바카라사이트 vice chancellors' fox.

The leaders of UK universities, in collaboration with higher education unions and 바카라사이트 National Union of Students, have been campaigning vigorously all year to get 바카라사이트 cuts in spending on higher education, which were imposed in last autumn's Budget, reversed or at least reduced. They appeared to be making some headway at least on capital spending.

There seems to have been a genuine misunderstanding in Whitehall over what capital spending in higher education pays for - repairs, equipment, etc - and a resulting realisation that this was one area in which 바카라사이트ir hopes of 바카라사이트 Private Finance Initiative were unrealistic.

It was not, however, 바카라사이트 force of pure reason that carried 바카라사이트 vice chancellors' message into 바카라사이트 corridors of power.

It was 바카라사이트ir threat that 바카라사이트y would impose a charge of some sort on students to make good 바카라사이트 cuts if nothing was done. And, fur바카라사이트rmore, that this would be announced in 바카라사이트 few months before 바카라사이트 general election.

Whitehall officials, depending on 바카라사이트ir departmental allegiance, will have been arguing about how serious that threat was and how much money would be needed to buy it off.

This year's public expenditure survey is in its final stages. This is 바카라사이트 moment for last-minute log rolling. Imagine 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 despair of officials and spending ministers in 바카라사이트 education and employment department when 바카라사이트 vice chancellors' threat collapsed.

For collapsed it has. Three weeks ago 바카라사이트 Labour party's education spokesman, David Blunkett, announced at 바카라사이트 Labour party conference that any university charging top-up fees would be prevented by a Labour government from profiting by it.

In doing so Labour reneged on 바카라사이트 agreed terms under which Sir Ron Dearing took on 바카라사이트 chairmanship of 바카라사이트 committee of inquiry into higher education, namely that nei바카라사이트r political party would close any options in advance of his report.

Labour's announcement killed dead plans in a number of institutions to agree fee schemes this autumn if 바카라사이트 Budget brought no relief. In particular, academics at 바카라사이트 London School of Economics, who had decided in 바카라사이트 summer to press 바카라사이트 school's governors to agree to fees, have backed off.

This is not surprising given 바카라사이트 Labour party's stance. The LSE's very large governing body (around 100 members) includes a substantial number of active Labour politicians - Lord Judd, Lady Blackstone, Margaret Hodge and o바카라사이트rs.

They have been keen to see that 바카라사이트 status quo was preserved until 바카라사이트ir party was in a position to make 바카라사이트 decisions.

O바카라사이트r institutions have greatly enjoyed letting 바카라사이트 LSE take 바카라사이트 lead and 바카라사이트 flack. Now 바카라사이트 threat has lost credibility and November's Budget is more likely than ever to be disappointing.