Sadly, it may be right that the present level of proposed expansion demands such a proposal, but does it follow that it is the expansion which is sacrosanct?
The more serious objection is the illusion, which Labour shares with the Government, that higher education can long remain viable at the present level of costs per student. The commission is proposing that students should repay all their maintenance grant and part of their tuition fees. Sir: While there is much room for debate about the social security proposals of Labour’s Commission on Social Justice, the commission’s underlying principles are ones that modesty forbids Liberal Democrats to praise too highly

Its proposals on higher education are another matter. How are the interests of the African poor served by repeating it? Would not a more thoughtful and genuine partnership between Non-Governmental Organisations and the Bank in Africa be preferable?Yours faithfully, JOHN TOYE Institute of Development Studies University of Sussex Brighton, East Sussex 24 October. In other words, the actual state of the poor must be compared with what it would have been had these policies not been adopted.
Mr Taylor simply assumes that all would be well. But it was the fact that high government spending was unsustainable that led Zimbabwe and other countries to apply to the Fund and the Bank in the first place.Although I have criticised the World Bank for many things in my time, I have some sympathy with the Bank when faced by the type of criticism represented by Mr Taylor’s letter.

It is true that the impact of structural adjustment in promoting growth in Africa has been slight. But it is unhelpful to heap unspecific blame on the policies of the World Bank, with or without the International Monetary Fund, for the conditions of the poor in Africa and other countries, as he does. Since these policies are only one influence on the economic conditions of the African poor, any analysis of their impact must be considered against the effect of other adverse forces, like falling commodity prices and rising world interest rates. An appeal that seems to continue to fall on stony ground.Yours faithfully, NATASHA ABBASI London, W3 24 October. Sir: I am very sorry to find myself disagreeing with Michael Taylor. Perhaps I am alone in finding this quite extraordinary?
Imagine British domestic reaction to a statement by John Major (prior to the recent peace progress), in the wake of an IRA bomb attack, that he had ordered the security services to ‘hunt down and kill’ all military leaders of the IRA] Would it go by without a whimper from media, politicians or foreign governments?In a recent UN Security Council meeting the Russian Foreign Minister, Andrei Kozyrev, implored the council’s permanent representatives, representing the most influential countries of the world, to guard themselves against accusations of holding clear double standards in their international conduct.

Indeed, the Defence Secretary, Malcolm Rifkind, was interviewed this morning on BBC Radio 4′s Today programme, and he discussed the issue quite realistically and calmly, his opinion being that Yitzhak Rabin, probably correctly, had to be seen and heard to take tough action. Sir: Weekend press reports quoted the Israeli prime minister as having given instructions to his security services to hunt down and kill military leaders of Hamas, following the recent bomb attacks for which Hamas has claimed responsibility No particular furore has ensued. Then I see him winking, and I realise he is doing his indistinct station announcer act for me What a man What a performer.. ‘Not at all,’ says Sir Toby.’It’s been a bink sofa.’At first I think Sir Toby has said that it’s been a bink sofa. Well, people would not understand it.’How on earth can a train that is meant to be in London actually be standing idle in Newcastle upon Tyne? ‘You see? I said you couldn’t understand it.Best to leave these things to us, old boy.’Well, thank you for talking to us, Sir Toby. It is what we say when the real explanation is too hard for the public to understand.’ Try me.’Well, if instead of saying ‘technical difficulties’ or ‘operational difficulties’, we came right out and said: ‘The 4.36 to Widmerpool has been cancelled because the engine and coaches that should have formed the 4.36 to Widmerpool are at this very moment through a chain of events too complicated to narrate here standing in a siding in Newcastle upon Tyne, 200 miles away .’.

You see? It is possible to make people happy by cancelling a train. It is an art.’What are technical difficulties? ‘Pardon?’ You said that the 4.36 to Widmerpool had been cancelled because of technical difficulties What are they? ‘Could be anything, dear boy. .’.And just when everyone is convinced that it must be their train for the chop, the announcer comes back and says: ‘Just to repeat that announcement – we regret to announce the cancellation of the 4.36 to Widmerpool, which is due to technical difficulties.”Well, of course, everyone who is going on the 4.36 to Widmerpool is a bit cheesed off, but the vast majority of people in the station are deeply happy that someone else’s train has been cancelled, not theirs. And after they’ve waited for what seems like ages, the announcer says: ‘. of the blinkety-blink to Oxentot’.'The what? ‘Exactly] That’s what everyone in the station is saying] ‘What train was that? Did you hear what he said? I couldn’t make it out. ‘Then we pause for a moment, so that everyone on the station is listening, and hoping and praying that it isn’t their train being cancelled. But it is a technique that needs learning.’ And what is this amazing technique? ‘Promise not to tell a soul?’ twinkles Sir Toby.

I promise.’Well, when we cancel a train, we make an announcement which makes it clear that a train is being cancelled, but not very clear which train is being cancelled. So you will hear our Regret Operative saying something like: ‘Here is an announcement British Rail regret to announce the cancellation of the .’.'Sir Toby paused and twinkled. Though there is in fact a wonderful technique for making people happy that a train has been cancelled. You may think that the acoustics in mainline stations sometimes make an announcement inaudible Far from it. The announcer is already speaking inaudibly, and with good reason.’What sort of good reason? ‘Well maybe because a train has just been cancelled and we are feeling a little shamefaced about it.