Attacks on “rip-off” degrees by the Westminster government are part of rhetoric targeting “New Conservative” voters rather than enacting genuine policy change, according to academics.
With the next general election at most 18 months away, and his party lagging behind in the polls, prime minister Rishi Sunak revealed a series of reforms for the English sector, including number controls on courses failing to deliver “good outcomes”.
The plans, which form part of the government’s response to the Augar review, have been expectedly met with outrage by sector leaders – although this might be part of the government’s electoral strategy, according to Will Jennings, associate dean of research and enterprise at the University of Southampton.
Professor Jennings said that having a degree has increasingly become a big predictor of voting behaviour, with the Conservative vote becoming less dominated by professionals and graduates post-Brexit.
