Govt intervention in universities is needed

David Feldman is right to criticise the education secretary for his threatening letter to universities which promises to remove funding and the power to award degrees from institutions which "do not share his faith in the efficacy of the IHRA working definition" of antisemitism (Universities should not be told how to fight antisemitism, 02/12/20). Such poorly thought out action is typical of both Williamson and the Tory government. This is not to say, however, that interference from the secretary of state in some aspects of the way the UK`s universities are run should not be forthcoming. A start can be made to eroding the "mosaic of harms and harassment" endured by racial and religious minorities in our universities by a serious revision of admissions procedures. Universities should have to accept the so-called "privilege cap", which would limit the proportion of students accepted from private schools to the national figure of 7%. This would force universities into adopting contextual admissions policies, and making more room for talented pupils from the underfunded schools, from underprivileged families and from economically deprived areas, whose potential remains seriously untapped. Oxbridge`s insistence on interviews hardly helps matters! Could there be a more effective deterrent to getting able pupils from working class backgrounds to apply to Oxbridge than the thought of an hour-long grilling by academics? Test their ability after three years of their higher education, not after eighteen years of being disadvantaged! Antisemitism is not the only example of discrimination in universities which needs government intervention!