THE working class will lose opportunities under Tory plans to scrap university courses to fund apprenticeships, University and College Union (UCU) general secretary Jo Grady has warned.

The Conservatives said today they would introduce a new law allowing the Office for Students (OfS) to completely close university courses with the worst dropout rates, job progression and future earnings potential, to help fund 100,000 apprenticeships per year if they win the July election.

“Higher education provides a ladder of opportunity to working-class communities, so it is no wonder the Conservative Party continues to attack it,” Dr Grady said.