Jon Snow calls for Oxford union

Channel 4 News presenter Jon Snow, who was rusticated when he was an undergraduate at Liverpool University for his involvement in a lefty student protest, has suggested that Oxford University should merge with its less eminent neighbour Oxford Brookes (formerly Oxford Poly). He believes the two establishments might one day form a giant seat of learning. He made his - some would say heretical - remarks as he stood down as Chancellor of Oxford Brookes, to be replaced by civil liberties campaigner Shami Chakrabarti.

Realising the merger idea would probably go down badly with Oxonians, Snow said: "This is an outrageous thing to say, but I wouldn't be surprised if, in 20 years’ time, there were not simply a huge university city, in which fusion had occurred. I can't conceptualise what it would be like. But I am sure what will happen in Britain is that places of excellence will come together. Shami is young enough to see it happen."

The idea has not been warmly received by Oxford University, which has long looked down on Oxford Brookes as a (very) poor relation tied only by geographical location. Said a spokesman: "Any kind of ‘fusion’ of the university has never been considered nor is it anticipated that such an idea would be considered in the future.” So that’s that.