Whatever the explanation, this self-selection by pupils and schools is no reason to take the axe to Oxbridge's cash.

ECONOMIST: Oxford and Cambridge: Down on gowns | The

The other explanation is that those already in self-employment as the downturn hit were the ones who lost out on work contracts while bosses prioritised the retention of their employed staff.

BBC: Spending power: back to Iraq

The explanation for this reticence is simple: self-criticism is an admirable trait in human beings but a potentially fatal one in politicians.

ECONOMIST: Bagehot