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Contrary to Geoff Lucas, I am delighted that Steve Smith, president of Universities UK, is using his position and influence to highlight the issue of fair admissions to university. The snippets of "evidence" Lucas cobbles together are out of context and do little to persuade many of us working in education that he is in the right.

It is not a matter of bashing independent-school students or of discriminating in favour of one group over another: it is far more to do with ensuring that the applications of students who, through no fault of their own, have not had the privileges and support of many independent-school pupils, are carefully scrutinised. This seems a reasonable and praiseworthy thing to advocate.

Is it too much to hope that Lucas may be persuaded to look at the bigger picture of university applications against the backdrop of the promotion of a fairer and more just society?

David Torevell, Associate professor, Faculty of arts and humanities, Liverpool Hope University.