Leading article: University fat cats

The revelation that 33 university vice-chancellors earn more than the Prime Minister - contained in a poll of their salaries - could hardly have emerged at a trickier time, coming as it did in the same week as university staff were taking strike action over their pay claim. While realising that you need top salaries to attract top people, we would urge governing bodies to consider the following question when voting on their VC's salary increase this year: do you really need to attract someone of a higher calibre than the Prime Minister? Answers on a postcard, please!