It’s quite something when the editor of The Spectator concedes that revolting students (if not the rioting ones) have a point. Fraser makes a persuasive point that no government department should have been immune from cuts.
The political fallout from the decision to slash university budgets and hike tuition fees will continue long after the students withdraw from the streets.
The devastating hit on higher education makes the coalition look like just another crew of right-wing philistines.
One of the curious aspects of this fiasco is Nick Clegg’s attempts to represent this as his Clause Four moment, when the Liberal Democrats finally became a grown-up party of government. The reality is that he has done his coalition partners no favours in allowing them to go down this road. He would have saved the Tories from themselves if he has stuck to his pledge on tuition fees and insisted on cuts elsewhere.
Comments
Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just $5 for 3 monthsAlready a subscriber? Log in