Collywobbles claim

According to Labour MP Barry Sheerman, chairman of the education and skills select committee, the Liberal Democrats all but forced the government to review its unpopular tuition fees and loans policy.

Speaking in last week's Commons' debate, Mr Sheerman said: "I worry about the government because they got the collywobbles about their resolve (on student finance) after a successful campaign by the Liberal Democrats during the election."

Mr Sheerman is worried that, having been stung into action by the Lib Dems, the government may now blunder by spending too much on students at the expense of university teaching and research.