Spending cuts will threaten the world-class standing of English universities and pose a risk to the country's future prosperity, warned the head of the group representing vice-chancellors.

According to Steve Smith, president of Universities UK and vice-chancellor of Exeter university, these cuts will lead to the closure of "swaths of institutions".

Smith sent an email to fellow vice-chancellors in which he warned universities to expect an 80% cut to teaching budgets.

George Osbourne revealed that university funding will be cut and the science budget is to be frozen. There will be funding for 75,000 adult apprenticeships a year.