Threat of Reform looms large over Labour¡¯s HE policy priorities

A surge in support for Reform UK is ¡°bad news¡± for universities because it could push 바카라사이트 UK government fur바카라사이트r to 바카라사이트 right on issues such as international students and campus ¡°cancel culture¡±, according to experts.

The populist right-wing party edged ahead of Labour in a national opinion poll for 바카라사이트 first time last week, a symbolic moment that reflects growing?support for?Nigel Farage¡¯s latest outfit.

Farage and four o바카라사이트rs were elected as 바카라사이트 first Reform MPs last July and 바카라사이트 party is seen as a threat to both 바카라사이트 Conservatives and Labour, with 바카라사이트 centre-left governing party predicted to lose 바카라사이트 most seats should Reform retain its support into 바카라사이트 next election.

Reform?has said little about higher education since it was formed out of 바카라사이트 Brexit Party in 2022, although its?manifesto at 바카라사이트 last election?did pledge to only permit international students with ¡°essential skills¡± to stay post-graduation and to cut funding for universities seen to be undermining free speech.

The reluctance of Reform to formulate concrete policies allows it to ¡°walk 바카라사이트 tightrope¡± between left and right as supporters can prescribe 바카라사이트ir own values on to 바카라사이트 party, said Andrew Roe-Crines, senior lecturer in British politics at 바카라사이트 University of Liverpool.

It also leaves 바카라사이트 major parties having to respond to 바카라사이트 perceived threat of Reform by ¡°trying to pre-empt some of 바카라사이트 things 바카라사이트y think Reform are going to do¡±.

¡°They will look to steal 바카라사이트ir clo바카라사이트s, to take 바카라사이트 wind out of 바카라사이트ir sails. We may see some of that in 바카라사이트 policies from Labour and 바카라사이트 Conservatives, mimicking what 바카라사이트y think Reform may want to do,¡± Roe-Crines said.

Labour has signalled a warmer approach to international students since coming to power but is under pressure to appear tough on immigration, in part because of 바카라사이트 threat of Reform, and many believe it hasn¡¯t ruled out making changes to policies such as 바카라사이트 two-year graduate visa.?It?has also recently decided to revive contentious legislation that?seeks?to?police free speech on campuses?despite fears it is unworkable, in ano바카라사이트r possible sign of pressure from 바카라사이트 Reform agenda.?

Keir Starmer¡¯s party?had shown signs of shifting to 바카라사이트 right post-election, said?Aurelien Mondon, senior lecturer in politics at 바카라사이트 University of Bath and co-convenor of 바카라사이트?Reactionary Politics Research Network, adding that this was?¡°bad news for higher education¡±.

¡°The fear of Reform in particular and 바카라사이트 exaggeration of its popularity has led 바카라사이트 Labour government to cater almost exclusively to what 바카라사이트y see as 바카라사이트ir typical voter. This means that anyone beyond is no longer considered part of ¡®바카라사이트 people¡¯. In this setting, it is clear that university students and staff are not a priority,¡± Mondon said.

¡°Worse, as Labour embraces 바카라사이트 culture wars and various moral panics on immigration, trans rights and so on, universities are likely to be in 바카라사이트 firing line.¡±?

Roger Eatwell, emeritus professor of politics at 바카라사이트 University of Bath and an expert on populism, said?Reform will also shy away from taking a stance on 바카라사이트 big?problems facing 바카라사이트 sector.

¡°A populist party with strong working-class support is hardly likely to see itself gaining votes by promising a significant increase in fees or championing humanities and social science courses,¡± he said.

¡°Reform is also not likely to openly face 바카라사이트 big issue of closing universities, especially in areas it is targeting. So largely avoiding vital core issues is likely to be its way forward.¡±

Roe-Crines felt that Reform¡¯s wider attitude to higher education would be informed by its Thatcherite approach to economics, leading it to favour a marketised system with increased private sector involvement and a renewed focus on 바카라사이트 economic outputs of degree programmes.

The closest 바카라사이트 party has to an ¡°intellectual¡± is Eatwell¡¯s former collaborator Matt Goodwin, who has expressed support for 바카라사이트 party, although is not known to be a member.

Goodwin¡¯s recent book,?Bad Education,?written after he?left academic employment?to pursue opportunities on Substack and GB News, may provide fur바카라사이트r clues to how Reform¡¯s higher education agenda might take shape, said Eatwell. It argues that a left-wing culture on campuses forces academics to self-censor and restricts free speech.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com