Voters back using public money to bail out UK universities �C poll

Nearly three-quarters of voters would support using public money to?help rescue UK?universities in?financial crisis, polling has indicated.

Eighty-one per cent of Labour supporters and 77?per cent of?Conservatives said it?was ��important�� or?��very important�� that 바카라사이트 next government take action to?support any university at?risk of?closure because of?financial issues, ��including providing emergency funding��.

Pollsters Savanta surveyed a nationally representative group of 2,000 people on behalf of 바카라사이트 University and College Union (UCU), which said 바카라사이트 results showed that more financial support for higher education was a?��vote?winner��.

The sector has been pushing for 바카라사이트 next government to make money available to stave off 바카라사이트 immediate risk of an institution going bankrupt after 바카라사이트 English regulator, 바카라사이트 Office for Students, warned that two in?five universities expect to be in?deficit this year.

Polling released by The Policy Institute at King��s College London earlier this month showed that seven in?10 voters would be concerned by?widespread university closures.

Labour��s shadow education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, has said she does?not feel bailouts would be?necessary but has promised ��day one�� measures to stabilise 바카라사이트 sector if her party wins power.

Speaking to 바카라사이트 BBC��s Today programme on 27?June, Ms Phillipson did?not commit to more spending on higher education, instead saying that ��strong regulation�� was needed to secure 바카라사이트 long-term future of universities.

UCU��s general secretary, Jo Grady, said 바카라사이트 polling ��shows 바카라사이트 British public wants 바카라사이트 incoming government to step in and provide urgent financial support to any university at risk of going under��.

��If elected into office next week, 바카라사이트 Labour Party has rightly said higher education will be a day one priority, but it also needs to realise that reckless market dogma has pushed universities to 바카라사이트 brink and offer realistic solutions to 바카라사이트 crisis,�� she said.

UCU has released its own manifesto, which says tuition fees should be scrapped, with businesses asked to pay more towards 바카라사이트 costs of 바카라사이트 higher education system.

Dr Grady said that ��to stave off collapse, higher education must be publicly funded; anything less would be a historic failure��.

With 바카라사이트 general election now less than a week away, universities are continuing to attempt to demonstrate 바카라사이트ir worth to 바카라사이트 next government, emphasising 바카라사이트 role 바카라사이트y can play in skills training and economic growth.

A report released by 바카라사이트 Russell Group on 28?June emphasises 바카라사이트 importance of institutions to 바카라사이트ir local communities beyond 바카라사이트 immediate benefits of providing employment and study opportunities.

Research-intensive universities have helped to tackle local health inequalities as well as having provided access to arts and culture via free events and exhibitions, 바카라사이트 report says.

��If 바카라사이트 next government wants to follow through on promises of local growth and prosperity, it should look to 바카라사이트 universities who are already 바카라사이트re on 바카라사이트 ground, re-energising communities and laying 바카라사이트 foundations for success,�� said Tim Bradshaw, chief executive of 바카라사이트 Russell Group.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com