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Higher Education Minister David Lammy today condemned elite universities for failing to admit higher numbers of black students.
It was not acceptable that Cambridge gave more places to students with "White" as their surname than those from black backgrounds, he said.
Mr Lammy, who is MP for Tottenham, warned that black students in London were becoming concentrated in a handful of less prestigious institutions. In the past, ministerial concern has focused on the perceived failure of Oxford and Cambridge to admit more students from working-class homes.
But in a speech to black teenagers in Liverpool, Mr Lammy said that almost half of young black men on degree courses in London were concentrated in Kingston, Middlesex, Brunel and London Metropolitan University.
He said: "It cannot be right that 45 per cent of black boys at university in London are at just four institutions." He added that the number of working-class black students had risen in recent years "but there's still so much more to do". Black teenagers must not be put off applying to the most prestigious institutions, he said.
Reader views (3)
To infer that Cambridge gave more places to people named White than to black students which is what he does/wants to infer is at best simply nonsense and at worst the most dangerous and devisive Labour spin and smear. Shame on you!
What in the context of the above constitutes a "Black Background" anyway?
- Steve, Brentford
As Graham points out, at no point is race mentioned in applications. I totally agree that nobody no matter what race, background or sex should be put off applying to the best universities if they have the ability, but this is blatant populism. Black students should be held to the same standards as everybody else, not just white ones. I am studying at King's in Lonodn and at least half of my Maths course are from minority groups. I sincerely hope that is based on ability and nothing else.
- Mark, London
This is nonsense. This is just another pathetic excuse to play the "race card" again. Is there anything on GCSE A level certificates and university application forms that indicate the colour of a personīs skin?
- Graham Rodhouse, Helmond, Netherlands
