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New Universities Secretary John Denham could develop a sore throat if he engages in the amount of "discussion" with the sector he claims to want. His first major speech on higher education was peppered with the phrases "I want to hear from you" and "it is a discussion we should have".

He outlined seven questions he wants to debate between now and the review of tuition fees - a topic on which he refuses to be drawn. Could this be a "let's talk about anything but" tactic to avoid discussing the most contentious topic?