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Stella Jones-Devitt complains that many academics will not vote at all, calling us "nihilists" (Letters, 22 April). But Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives all promise major cuts in higher education.

The sector faces cuts of more than ?900 million in the next three years, and university leaders have warned that as many as 30 institutions could be forced to close. The University and College Union estimates that the proposed cuts could snuff out more than 14,000 university jobs.

In addition, Labour, the Lib Dems and the Tories all want to imitate the US system of higher education.

Abstention is not a nihilistic rejection of all moral principles: it's a refusal to abandon them. Why should we endorse our own extinction? Why should turkeys vote for Christmas?

Will Podmore, British School of Osteopathy.