As concerns rise about mainstream universities’ affordability, social impact and working cultures, the UK’s Labour Party is mulling the idea of fostering cooperative, comprehensive universities. John Morgan travels to Manchester and Preston to examine some experiments that could point the way 

The Labour Party in the UK, like the Democrats in the US, hopes to be elected on a policy of abolishing student fees. Roger Smyth draws on the experience of New Zealand to challenge the rationale for such a strategy