Student writes blog to avoid work

In a shock development today, physics student Simon Chard was revealed to have written an article in his blog in what is alleged to have been a callous attempt to avoid doing work. The incident occured at approximately 22:00 GMT in the Earl's Court area of London, and has already brought swift condemnation from leading academics. Prof E. Lectron of the Institute for Bearded Science (IBS) exclaimed "I was astonished when I heard what had happened. Is this what undergraduates today have become? A bunch of lazy gadabouts?". Others have seized on these events to renew calls for a student tax to help stamp out this kind of behaviour.

The student community has hit back, with statements from prominent student leaders condemning Prof Lectron's comments. President of the University of Cowes Student Union, T. Cherspett remarked "Comments such as Prof Lectron's do not help. This was an isolated incident; most students are very hard working and often go without food because they cannot tear themselves away from their books." The National Union of Students (NUS) is convening an emergency meeting on Monday to discuss the possibilty of more serious retaliatory action, possibly including a national boycott of lectures.

Yet the crisis shows no sign of abating. Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair said in a statement "although the likelihood [of lecture boycotts] is small, we can assure the public that we have the resources to deal with any action to make sure all students attend their lectures." When asked about reports that all police leave had been cancelled he declined to comment.

Duffman was unavailable to comment for personal reasons.