Is sacking educators during a recession a good idea?

Round here, apparently it is. According to others, such as the V-C of University of Central Lancashire, definitely not:

"It would be beyond reason for an incoming government to significantly reduce public expenditure on higher education in the middle of a recession. It would be like a general demobilising regiments of battle-hardened troops in the face of an enemy. There is, of course, a danger that a few politically inept vice-chancellors will offer up their troops in voluntary sacrifice in advance of any battle. However, on the assumption that these suicidal tendencies can be controlled by the rest of the sector, let us address the elephant in the room."

Full article here.