David Davis is just one of the big beasts needed on the Tory frontbench

Whether it is civil liberties, grammar schools, upgrading Trident or Afghanistan, David Davis continues be a major contributor to the national debate.

He tackles another subject today in an article for the Mail on Sunday.  Analysing the average income for graduates he concludes that many students would have been better off financially if they had never gone to university.  He attacks the decision of the Major government to abolish the distinction between universities and polytechnics.  He concludes with a call for much greater transparency about university performance:

"The Government should publish immediately a league table showing every university's graduate salaries, employment and drop-out rates, and proportions of graduates in non-graduate jobs. Then, at least, we can be sure that, in the struggle for scarce places that will take place during the next few weeks, school-leavers will not be disappointed because they make their most important career choice on what may turn out to be a false prospectus."

It is difficult to argue with the suggestion made by Tom Richmond in yesterday's Yorkshire Post that it is time for David Davis to return to the Tory frontbench.  I would not, as Richmond recommends, oust Liam Fox.  Fox is doing a good job at defence.

In the most difficult of times - the times currently facing Britain - the Conservatives cannot afford to neglect some of our biggest talents.  Sir Malcolm Rifkind, John Redwood, Michael Fallon, Peter Lilley and Davis himself should all be given important roles some time soon.

Tim Montgomerie