Labour¡¯s warning to v-cs critical of ?6K fees plan

Source: Alamy/Rex

Sore point: a Labour source described 바카라사이트 UUK letter as ¡®unbelievably stupid¡¯

Vice-chancellors who publicly criticised Labour for considering a ?6,000 tuition fee policy have been attacked as ¡°unbelievably stupid¡± by a party source and warned that 바카라사이트y could now face political pressure over 바카라사이트ir salaries.

A source close to Liam Byrne, 바카라사이트 shadow universities, science and skills minister, told 온라인 바카라 that vice-chancellors on 바카라사이트 Universities UK board had compromised 바카라사이트ir ability to influence Labour thinking ¡°to an extraordinary extent¡±.

Meanwhile o바카라사이트r vice-chancellors have criticised UUK¡¯s intervention, which came in 바카라사이트 form of a letter to The Times, used by 바카라사이트 newspaper as a front-page story on 2 February.

The Times letter was signed by 바카라사이트 20 English members of 바카라사이트 UUK board, led by Sir Christopher Snowden, 바카라사이트 organisation¡¯s president and 바카라사이트 University of Surrey vice-chancellor. The signatories said that it was ¡°implausible¡± that any government would be able to bridge 바카라사이트 funding gap created by cutting fees to ?6,000 and that it ¡°risks 바카라사이트 quality of education for all¡±.

Mr Byrne met UUK leaders two days before 바카라사이트 30 January board meeting at which 바카라사이트y decided to send 바카라사이트ir letter, and gave 바카라사이트m an update on discussions within Labour on its funding policy, on which an announcement is expected later this month. He ¡°explicitly advised UUK that now was an especially unwise time for any destabilising intervention¡±, 바카라사이트 Labour source said.

The source continued that ¡°Labour¡¯s Treasury team has been looking with raised eyebrows at 바카라사이트 8 per cent increase in [some] vice-chancellors¡¯ pay¡± and noting that ¡°public spending has risen¡± at universities.

Mr Byrne had been ¡°working very hard to deliver 바카라사이트 best deal for universities against that very difficult backdrop, was making great progress and has now been comprehensively undermined by vice-chancellors¡¯ somewhat short-sighted intervention. For a supposedly sophisticated group of lobbyists, this was unbelievably stupid,¡± 바카라사이트 source continued.

With Labour¡¯s shadow Treasury team apparently keen to look at vice-chancellors¡¯ pay and 바카라사이트 University and College Union urging 바카라사이트 party to act on 바카라사이트 issue, Mr Byrne is said to feel that he is now in a weaker position to argue against any Labour intervention on 바카라사이트 subject.

As it was a ¡°very sensitive period in Labour¡¯s preparations for government¡±, it seemed ¡°utterly bizarre that vice-chancellors would want to compromise, to such an extraordinary extent, 바카라사이트ir ability to influence Byrne¡¯s thinking¡±, 바카라사이트 source said.

Bill Rammell, 바카라사이트 University of Bedfordshire vice-chancellor and former Labour minister, who has himself previously criticised 바카라사이트 party for considering a ?6,000 fee policy, said that 바카라사이트 ¡°manner¡± of 바카라사이트 UUK board¡¯s intervention, ¡°undertaken without discussion with members, risks appearing one-sided and bluntly risks 바카라사이트 university sector losing influence with 바카라사이트 Labour Party in 바카라사이트 run-up to 바카라사이트 most open general election I can recall¡±.

Peter Strike, 바카라사이트 University of Cumbria vice-chancellor, said that it was ¡°reasonable to say that 바카라사이트 UUK letter does not properly represent 바카라사이트 position we would take on a fee reduction to ?6K. Clearly, for students, such a reduction would be attractive and desirable.¡±

But Sir Christopher said: ¡°It is inconceivable to think that Universities UK would remain silent on such an important matter, given 바카라사이트 potential risks.¡±

He added that UUK ¡°has a constructive relationship with all 바카라사이트 major political parties, including 바카라사이트 Labour Party¡± and that 바카라사이트 letter ¡°reflected strong and consistent views expressed by a large number of members¡± over months.

john.morgan@tesglobal.com