'In the 1960s student activists argued that books are weapons. Today, student activists and trade unionists require an arsenal of weapons to fight back against the Tories' assault on higher education. Andrew McGettigan offers just that' -- Mark Bergfeld, NUS National Executive and spokesperson for the Education Activist Network 'Andrew McGettigan is one of the most respected and incisive commentators on higher education. There are no other texts at present that address the political economy of higher education and none that put all the pieces of the jigsaw together to reveal the picture with such clarity' -- John Holmwood, Professor of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Nottingham, co-founder of the Campaign for the Public University and editor of A Manifesto for the Public University (2011) 'Whether you agree or disagree with him, Andrew McGettigan's critique of the Government's higher education policies is essential reading. He brings a unique perspective to the debate, which is all the richer for it' -- Shabana Mahmood, Shadow Minister of State for Higher Education 'What a splendid book, bang up-to-date and comprehensive. Anybody wanting to understand the present UK policy framework and wanting to have a critical account of it could not do better than start with this book; and so engagingly presented and written too. It deserves to be a winner' -- Ron Barnett, Emeritus Professor of Higher Education, Institute of Education, University of London. 'Andrew McGettigan is in my opinion by far the most knowledgeable person in the country on the government's obscure and yet revolutionary programme of change for universities. Essential and deeply worrying reading' -- Simon Szreter, Professor of History and Public Policy, University of Cambridge 'This is a must-read book for those who work in higher education and are interested in current education policies' -- Samantha A. Shave, Journal of Social Policy