“Universities are sitting on large cash reserves and could cope with a cut in the funding they receive from government, according to a think tank with close links to the Conservative party.
“Policy Exchange, which was set up by Tory modernisers led by Michael Gove, called on ministers to strip more than £500 million in annual funding from universities and instead give it to technical colleges.
“They should use it to expand high-level technical and professional courses and so help to improve Britain’s productivity, a report by the think tank says.”