From the article: 'A Hull spokesperson says that plans to close the department are merely “under consultation”'. I know a senior academic at Hull who confirms that claim is false: chemistry at Hull is closing.

It's only a footnote really, but this sort of PR spin has done nothing for industrial relations. "Consultations" when everyone knows the outcome. Many VCs got into the habit closing themselves off from democratic oversight and then stopped being honest with us and themselves.