The?review of post-18 education funding in England is likely to bring a ¡°measly¡± reduction in tuition fees, and it?is a ¡°crazy subject¡± for the government to tackle, according to Theresa May¡¯s former director of communications.

Katie Perrior, who resigned as director of communications at?No?10 after Ms May announced a snap general election in 2017, said that the review announced by the prime minister?might deliver a ¡°slight reduction in fees on some courses, maybe a rise in others¡±, but would likely ultimately prove ¡°a bit of a waste of time¡±.

Ms Perrior was speaking at a Universities UK event on political affairs in higher education?¨C which also heard from former banker Philip Augar, who is leading the government¡¯s review?¨C in response to an audience question from Jason McCartney, a former Conservative MP who lost his Colne Valley seat?in last year¡¯s election.

Mr McCartney, now head of public affairs at the University of Huddersfield, suggested that Labour¡¯s policy to abolish tuition fees and reintroduce maintenance grants was a ¡°nice straightforward one, an easy soundbite¡±, which the Tories were ¡°always going to be chasing¡± if they tried to fight on that ground.

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He asked: ¡°Is No 10¡¯s thinking on this they can¡¯t really win on this, all they can do is mitigate?¡±

Ms Perrior replied: ¡°I think that this is a crazy subject to try and engage on if you¡¯re not going to have a proper offer. If it¡¯s going to be a measly offer, don¡¯t go there at all, in my opinion. I never felt this [tuition fees] was a huge issue that was constantly a problem, a driver around the vote in 2017 [which saw the Conservatives lose their majority].¡±

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She added: ¡°If we¡¯re literally trying to challenge a man that just offers everything for free, we¡¯re never going to win.¡±

Ms Perrior told Mr McCartney: ¡°I think you¡¯re completely right: it¡¯s going to be measly; you¡¯re going to be disappointed.¡±

She argued that limiting interest rate rises and reintroducing maintenance grants would be good choices for the Tories.

Speaking about higher education more generally during her speech, Ms Perrior said: ¡°I think that some of the newer universities really need to give some of those redbricks a run for their money.¡±

She said that the role of newer universities in improving people¡¯s lives was often ¡°overlooked¡±?because ¡°politics is full of snobs¡± who judge people on their ¡°academic history¡±.

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But in light of Ms May¡¯s commitment to diversity and social mobility, newer universities have ¡°a moment to shine and really sell their story¡±, Ms Perrior suggested.

On international students and their inclusion in migration figures, Ms Perrior said that the drive to attract the brightest and best ¡°doesn¡¯t chime very well with Theresa May¡¯s stance at the ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ Office¡±, where she prioritised reducing the overall immigration total.

¡°All I can say is, absolutely, apart from one or two people round the Cabinet table, it¡¯s very much a minority: nobody agrees with Theresa May on the issue of student numbers and immigration,¡± she said.

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Mr Augar, speaking in a separate session, emphasised that the review was ¡°not simply a review of university fees and funding¡±, but of all tertiary education funding, including further education.

The review panel?was currently at the stage of examining the ¡°economic and social objectives¡± of tertiary education and had not yet come on to discussion of potential solutions in funding, he added.

The review¡¯s recommendations would have to take account of funding¡¯s impact on ¡°deficit and debt¡±, said Mr Augar, while also seeking a ¡°balance¡± in funding between government, individuals and employers. The economic objectives for tertiary education that he listed included skills, innovation and achieving ¡°dynamism¡± in cities.

On social objectives, Mr Augar said: ¡°We aren¡¯t just brutal marketeers on the panel. None of us think like that.¡±

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john.morgan@timeshighereducation.com