Tonight:
9°c
In an interview with this newspaper, Lord Mandelson, deputy Prime Minister in all but name, has stated the important principle that it is up to universities, not the Government, to decide which students they admit.
His comments last week on the raising of tuition fees had emphasised the importance of admitting more students from low-income backgrounds.
Today, however, Lord Mandelson distances himself from Gordon Brown's ill-fated embrace of the Laura Spence case in 2000. When he was Chancellor, Mr Brown condemned Oxford's rejection of the comprehensive school-educated pupil.
Then it emerged that the others chosen ahead of her had a better claim to the place.
It is not the business of ministers to second-guess university teachers' decisions.
Universities are independent institutions — even though most of their funding comes from the state.
In admissions, university teachers must pick those best able to follow the courses on offer or they will undermine the pursuit of academic excellence and waste public money.
Bright students from low-achieving secondary schools face real difficulties — but many working in university admissions care about widening access and already look at factors other than raw grades when spotting talent from non-traditional backgrounds.
However, there is only so far they can go. If they reject well-qualified students in favour of those who have not demonstrated that they have the ability required, they risk increasing drop-out rates as well as discouraging high achievers.
The failure of too many schools to prepare their pupils adequately for university is one of the Government's greatest failings but it will not be solved by bullying higher education institutions.
It is welcome to see Lord Mandelson acknowledging that. And his hint of a link between admitting more lower income students and charging higher fees may well come to nothing, given that the review of university fees will not report until after the next election.
As ever, Lord Mandelson has an amusing take on social mobility.
He may have been only the second of his immediate family to go to university — but his grandfather was deputy Prime Minister.
He deserves credit, though, for articulating the principle that admissions are up to the universities themselves.
Run-down airports
BAA's comments today on the sale — or lack of it —of Gatwick and Stansted airports are a reminder of a serious dilemma for the Transport Secretary Lord Adonis.
In March, the Competition Commission rightly ordered the company, which controls most of the runway capacity in the South East, to sell off the two airports, while keeping Heathrow.
However, in the midst of recession, the process is not going well.
One frontrunner recently withdrew from the bidding, though BAA chief executive Colin Matthews says other talks continue.
Meanwhile, there are indications that BAA's debt-laden Spanish owner, Ferrovial, has little inclination to invest in the airports. Facilities are looking shabby and it is the travelling public that suffers.
The grim truth is that the assets may get more run-down while the price reaches a point where a bidder decides that they have a bargain.
But any buyer must pump in cash to improve the facilities.
Lord Adonis's department, which is conducting a review of airport regulation, must ensure that whether these airports stay with BAA or are sold, they are not run on the cheap.
Met Office blushes
That barbecue summer the Met Office promised us is now, officially, not happening.
We had noticed. And those of us who booked a holiday in the UK on the back of the forecast are irritable.
At least, as we reported yesterday, London is the top UK “staycation” destination. Thank goodness culture, eating out and shopping can be enjoyed indoors.
