Operation Bernhard.

Although largely unsuccessful, the Nazi idea contained in Operation Bernhard was brilliant.

As early as 1939, the plan had been to flood Britain with forged five pound notes thus destabilising the currency and causing damaging inflation. Fortunately, the plan was foiled to a very large degree. (Remember Michael Elphick in 'Private Schultz'?)

After several conversations last night about the current situation in our universities, I was reminded of this little piece of history.

As a nation we have diluted the quality of students at university; inevitably the consequence has been to cause standards to plummet; we have given large numbers of young people inflated opinions of their own abilities; we have flooded the country with useless and semi useless degrees and we have undermined a system once renowned for its excellence.

Naturally, it means that basic jobs are demanding ever higher levels of entry - all to no good purpose. Many post graduates are unable to find work and, with their debts added to the mix, many are beginning to feel pretty resentful.

Furthermore, the nation cannot afford this exercise in pointlessness.

We should return to a system based on merit and ability. The best should be rewarded with a free education and a proper grant.

If anybody outside this group wants to pay the full cost of a degree and support for themselves as they study - then so be it but we must abandon a system based on marxist, anti-elitist thinking.