The Liberal Democrats are talking up the prospect of the Erasmus student exchange system vanishing in a few years’ time in a bid to hoover up student votes.
The beleaguered party launched a #SaveErasmus campaign, implying that without their intervention no young person will ever attend a university on the continent again.
The Government has already confirmed that Brexit will have no immediate effect on the scheme.
It, and other member nations, will obviously be keen to preserve the much-loved programme, not least because the United Kingdom is home to so many of Europe’s best universities.
According to the Times Higher Education Supplement, Britain has seven of Europe’s top 10, while according to QS, it is eight.
Indeed, Lib Dem sources admitted to Heat Street that they have no particular reason to believe that Erasmus – a programme which includes five non-EU nations – is under threat.
Meanwhile the pulverised Lib Dems are keen to bring young voters into the fold and overcome their reputation for treachery after going back on their promise not to raise tuition fees.
Such is the animosity towards the party from young people who backed them in 2010 that the National Union of Students mounted a very public campaign to shame them as liars ahead of the last election, even though their collapse helped the Tories secure a majority:
The party has pandered to cries for young Remain-leaning voters to re-run the Brexit vote, overturn it in Parliament, or do almost anything available to thwart the will of the people.
Party leader Tim Farron – perhaps soon to be the only man in the UK with such a title – attended the anti-Brexit march in London this weekend, and has committed himself to fighting the referendum result wherever he can.
However, with a rump of just eight MPs, little sway in parliament and no sign of a rally in the polls, it remains (heh) to be seen how their latest plot will help.