Academic test

Vice-chancellors would accept they have to tighten the purse-strings, like any public sector organisation, but it would be unfair and short-sighted if Yorkshire's 10 universities saw their budgets slashed. London has 43 universities, of varying quality, and there is much greater cause for retrenchment there.

After the trauma of the financial crisis, this region's economy will not bounce back automatically, it has to be pushed and pulled into prosperity.

It is already facing one challenge with the abolition of Yorkshire Forward in its current form and that economic re-birth would be further jeopardised by limiting education funding here.

A coalition which claims to listen to the concerns of northern England must recognise that great swathes of it, particularly in Yorkshire, have seen decades of under-investment, particularly in areas like transport. Cuts have to be made but there is a growing concern that the economy of tomorrow could be jeopardised by the austerity drive of today.

Yorkshire universities must be protected. They bring intelligent and ambitious people to the region, many of whom go on to build families and businesses here. They spend money, create wealth and help build a prosperous future. Their success is tied to the health of the region as a whole and there is no case for wholesale cuts.