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University for proles: the Tories weren’t always against it
There was a time in the 20th century when even the Conservatives recognised the value of higher education for anyone capable of it – a far cry from today, writes KEITH FLETT

RISHI SUNAK has said — again — that universities should focus on degrees with earnings potential. So farewell then English literature, history and indeed Sunak’s own degree in politics, philosophy and economics.
It begs the question of what the modern Tory Party is.
In 1961 a Tory government commissioned the Robbins report into higher education. It was released in 1963 and the proposals were accepted, leading to a significant expansion in the number of people going to university.
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