Lecturers are voting on whether to hold a national strike over pay.

The ballot, held by the Association of University Teachers, is over a proposed pay increase of 6.44% over the next two years, which the union says is not enough.

The AUT claims that lecturers' pay has fallen by 40% in real terms over the past 20 years and originally demanded a 28% pay rise.

The ballot closes on 11 February and if a majority of the union's 47,000 members vote in favour of action, a strike would follow in February or March.

The union conducted a poll of the public, which found that 79% thought that lecturers' pay should start at £32,000, at the moment the AUT said the starting salary is £23,000.

Another lecturers' union, Natfhe, is recommending that its members accept the current offer, but with qualifications including inflation-proofing of pay.