We have 165 UK universities of one form or another.
If we are going to increase tuition fees and reduce income from overseas students by capping their numbers (what's the sense of this when they pay full fees of c£20k?) then the first question which needs to be asked is what is the purpose of Higher Education for the next 30 years and once we have settled that argument we should then find ways of funding it.
China will overtake America as the lead economy by 2020. India will be fourth, Russia and Brazil will be entering the top ten for the first time. This means our economy and the economies of other EU countries will be under major threat for the next decade. How are the Coalition plans for simply increasing the costs of HE going to make us a more economically competitive country?
If excellence is what HE is about then how can there be 165 universities offering it? It makes no sense. The pattern and funding arrangements aren't fit for purpose.
As for Clegg he'll lose his seat if he carries on but then he'd just join the Tories and go the Lord's but he might break the back of the Lib Dems forever. As for Cable his one foot in one foot our routine today on television, shows how uncomfortable he is and he should should just step down.