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Malcolm Deas rejects my first-hand impressions of Bolivarian University of Venezuela (UBV) as representing "genuine widening participation" with "high standards" (Features, December 1) and has resigned from the University and College Union, arguing that "a serious academic union" should not support Hugo Ch¨¢vez. The UBV is "100 per cent Chavista", he goes on. I would point out that UBV is also nearly 100 per cent working class - hence support at UBV for Ch¨¢vez's programmes of economic and social justice for that class, and, indeed, hence the Ch¨¢vez landslide election victory. As far as trade union backing is concerned, unions, academic and otherwise, have a long history of supporting movements that represent the class interests of their members.

Mike Cole
Research professor in education and equality, Bishop Grosseteste University
College Lincoln