Even a reformed OfS will make little difference if English funding isn’t fixed

“For too long, universities have been a political battlefield and treated with contempt, rather than as a public good, distracting people from the core issues they face,” They really haven't. Both main parties have been in lockstep since the New Labour over how to govern and finance universities. The only difference has been that a few in the Tory Party were willing to call a spade a spade, not that they were able to affect any changes in the end. Though thoroughly despicable individuals they may be by almost any measure (here's looking at you Mr Gove), some of these individuals were correct about the fundamental causes of the deterioration, which started in the early 90s. There are too many vested interests in maintaining the status quo, HE is an "industry" in its own right, with enormous financial benefits to "UK Plc" (what a horrible phrase). It is both an "export industry" as well as an invaluable (literally) source of income for local economies, each medium/large city having at least 2 universities. Which government would tamper with this? How many greedy vc, pro vc, head of finance, hr, marketing, etc types would tamper with the model? On top of this, whole industries have been created, from the private student accommodation firms used by universities to the EDI rackets, to "wellbeing" comfort teddy bears and all kinds of other ludicrous, wasteful nonsense. That's in addition to the local taxis, bars, nightclubs, takeaways and restaurants that are dependent on students to make any sort of decent profit. And finally, rackets like the UCU. So, in conclusion, do not ask what is the purpose of higher education in the UK. We have moved well beyond that (since 2000 at the latest), it is merely an industry that is vital to the economy and that's the short and the long of it.

Too many article seem to want to have their cake and eat it, claiming on the one hand that "marketisation" is the root of the rot in HE, but on the other hand claiming that the HE sector is of huge financial importance to the UK due to its ability to generate income directly and indirectly.