Earlier this year it was published in the Guardian that in the past two years Southampton executives expensed more than the any other university – £400,000 over a two year period. I think staff and students have a right to know what exactly £400,000 of university money was spent on: first-class flights? Expensive restaurants? Works of art of Fortnum and Mason hampers (as the Guardian article alluded to)?

As Sally Hunt of UCU said: “A university isn’t about first-class travel. It’s not about posh restaurants. It’s about brilliant people, it’s about learning and it’s about a team environment.”