Lecturers praise student violence

It comes to something when those who are supposed to be teaching others take lessons from the would-be taught. And learn that several wrongs make a very bad right! The demonstration about student fees started well enough. But it was hijacked by a bunch of middle class hotheads whipped up by anarchists and all other types of anti-democratic street fighters.

Lecturers, from Goldsmiths, University of London, have proclaimed in a missive, "We the undersigned wish to congratulate staff and students on the magnificent anti-cuts demonstration this afternoon. The events demonstrate the deep hostility in the UK towards the cuts proposed in the Comprehensive Spending Review. We hope that this marks the beginning of a sustained defence of public services and welfare provision as well as higher education." They said nothing about vandalism, bludgeoning police officers and nearly trying to kill a policeman by throwing a heavy fire extinguisher from the roof of Millbank, where the Tories have their HQ. Staff of other offices in the building were frightened and waitresses in a coffee shop were trapped for over three hours.

These lecturers are a witless bunch who have suddenly let their brains hit the floor. They need to look in a mirror and think about whether trying to kill people is a perfectly acceptable activity whilst demonstrating. I wonder if a smile will come on their faces?

Nobody has said that peaceful demonstrating is wrong. How could they? It is part of our democratic system. What is wrong is trying to inflict pain, misery and generally acting as if other people's lives are of no consequence.

Lord Browne and the student fees debate

Lord Browne has done his review. It's causing some ripples in the Coalition with a few LibDems getting the collywobbles. Ming Campbell is apparently decidely upset but I can't think why. Scotland is out of this loop. It's all about England and the tuition fees here.

The report says, "After leaving university, graduates will only begin repaying when they reach annual earnings of over £21,000 a year, up from £15,000 under the current system. Even then, the payments will be small, for example at an income level of £25,000 a year the repayments will be £7 a week". So lowly paid graduates won't need to worry and even those on relatively modest incomes for these supposed high-flyers will be able to cope.

Anyone listening to Aaron Porter, the suave promoter of NUS thinking, would have the idea that all hell was about to be let loose on higher education. He seems able to afford posh suits. It's all a load of political hogwash. I bet this time next year the same amount of students will be taking up university places. The ones Aaron Porter needs to worry about are the dropouts. Not because they stop paying their union dues, but because it causes problems for everyone else.