Part three of a three part grammar lesson

This is what was printed:

University not right for some

FROM: Joshua Payne, Albion Street, Kenilworth

HAVING read the much-publicised response by Liberal Democrat parliamentary spokesman for Kenilworth Richard Allenach, I recall a confrontation between Ken Clarke and a Liberal Democrat peer on Question Time.

Mr Clarke described the 50 per cent target as ridiculous and made comments to the effect the peer did not require a 50 per cent top rate of tax but an O level in mathematics. It continues to be the case, in my view, that (Here's the only surviving "that" used as a conjunction - an island in a sea of grammatical errors. Maybe the Editor was confused here by the "to be the case" and "in my view" bits. Ed.) leading Liberal Democrats would be appropriate candidates for a modern GCSE in common sense.

I dislike the obliqueness with which Mr Allanach plays the Political Correctness card as though the opinion we should not force ever more school leavers through British universities is somehow not legitimate or permissible.

I have also resented how, at one university, Labour students distributed postcards stamped with the word EQUALITY in bright red letters, which on the reverse said Go home - Tories have cancelled your course. Michael Howard has been quite correct to say some students currently at universities would be better off in vocational training, a policy that would in addition help halt the erosion of standards and might well allow the reintroduction of real grants for those who deserve them. This is what I heard on BBC News and unless I am hallucinating I fail to see how it is unclear.

The point is we are all different and differ naturally in our abilities and achievements: a concept that should be second nature to any genuine Liberal. From this perspective, diversifying opportunities for school leavers must surely be a better alternative than imposing a rigid quota for university entry.

MP Andy King and his colleagues in this government with which we have been cursed since 1997 claim Britain is Working - don’t let the Tories wreck it again. A friend who is a QC has a somewhat different perception of reality: he tells me he has interviewed personally 150 candidates for the same position in legal training and was unimpressed by both their number and their knowledge of the law.

Clearly, all this situation does is render it more difficult for the most deserving candidate to get the job - and leaves the other 149 with little of any value - except of course a huge student loan to pay off. Is this compatible with social justice? It is the prevailing situation that should be considered controversial rather than the proposition a new Government would cut university places.

Personally, I do not think the Liberal Democratic idea will cut much ice with sensible Kenilworth folk.