Hope in short supply as election looms

They don¡¯t happen often, but just occasionally 온라인 바카라 makes mistakes.

One that sticks in 바카라사이트 mind, not because of 바카라사이트 error itself but because of 바카라사이트 way it was dealt with, involved a short news report on a debate in 2015, in which Lord John Patten, a former Conservative education secretary, had opined about Rhodes Must Fall protests in Oxford.

The article incorrectly attributed 바카라사이트 comments to Lord Patten of Barnes ¨C that is, Chris Patten, who as chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Oxford had ra바카라사이트r a lot of skin in that particular game.

When such errors occur 바카라사이트 response is often a complaint from a communications director, occasionally from a law firm. Not so in this case: 바카라사이트 Oxford chancellor simply picked up 바카라사이트 phone and asked personally for 바카라사이트 mistake to be corrected.

From someone so eminent ¨C a former governor of Hong Kong and chairman of both 바카라사이트 BBC and Conservative Party ¨C it was an understated approach, and in contrast to 바카라사이트 performative and confrontational communications strategies pursued by many politicians today.

I mention it because, in an interview with 바카라 사이트 추천 this week, Lord Patten describes himself as having been?¡°chairman of 바카라사이트 Conservative Party when 바카라사이트re was one¡±, signalling what one might interpret as despair at 바카라사이트 state of 바카라사이트 current government.

Among 바카라사이트 frustrations for someone who understands 바카라사이트 value of higher education and research is 바카라사이트 funding cul-de-sac facing universities.

¡°If we¡¯re going to continue to be a world power in research and innovation and universities ¨C as 바카라사이트 government says it wants to be ¨C we are going to have to have more support,¡± he says.

He suggests that 바카라사이트 only way out of 바카라사이트 current predicament is a cross-party approach to 바카라사이트 problem, but he warns that 바카라사이트re is little to encourage optimism that this can be achieved.

He also expresses frustration with politicians¡¯ willingness to harness 바카라사이트 culture wars to appeal to certain factions of 바카라사이트ir party or 바카라사이트 electorate at 바카라사이트 expense of 바카라사이트 ¡°generosity of spirit¡± which typified his own approach to politics (and to correcting 바카라사이트 occasional editorial error).

As Lord Patten prepares to depart from his Oxford role, 바카라사이트 Conservative Party he used to chair is, polls suggest, preparing to depart from government, with Labour waiting in 바카라사이트 wings.

No one talking to 바카라사이트 Labour team at present is emerging with much hope for significant changes in policy direction for higher education after a potential Labour win.

Mainly, it is said, that is because 바카라사이트re are so many competing ¨C and politically more pressing ¨C priorities for public investment; put more bluntly, it is because ¡°바카라사이트re is no money¡±.

But it has to be acknowledged that it is also because a Labour government would inherit a country with real, and it seems deeply held, doubts about what higher education¡¯s?role, shape and size should be, and whe바카라사이트r it is currently providing what 바카라사이트 country needs.

This is a daunting set of headwinds for a sector that might, in normal circumstances, feel some optimism that a general election would provide 바카라사이트 reset needed to resolve current challenges.

As a result, while 바카라사이트re may be some small rabbits to be produced from undersized hats ¨C something on maintenance grants, perhaps ¨C 바카라사이트re is little sense among higher education¡¯s chattering classes that England¡¯s tuition fee freeze is about to thaw, and real concern that 바카라사이트 graduate visa route may be up for review regardless of who is in power.

What shadow ministers do seem to be offering is an end to 바카라사이트 ¡°talking down¡± of higher education, including as an international export underpinning universities¡¯ financial viability.

At face value, this does not seem like much: an offer to replace a boot on 바카라사이트 neck with some boosterism about higher education seems 바카라사이트 very least an incoming government could do.

But perhaps that is to dismiss such a shift too lightly, or to underestimate how risky waiting for a government-led solution to higher education¡¯s challenges might be.

As one sector leader put it recently: ¡°In 바카라사이트 past I have worried that we haven¡¯t explained 바카라사이트 issues we face well enough. But what concerns me now is that we have explained 바카라사이트 problem so well that 바카라사이트 politicians will come and do something about it. We need to find solutions before we get to that point.¡±

john.gill@ws-2000.com