Education Minister Christopher Pyne has warned the Senate that 1700 research jobs will be scrapped if he doesn't get his way on uncapping university fees. The tactic was immediately condemned as "toxic, reckless politics at its worst" and led to calls for Mr Pyne to leave behind his student politics ways.

Mr Pyne upped the stakes on Sunday telling the ABC the crossbenchers' decision will cost Australian researchers their jobs, because their positions are to be funded by the money saved from deregulating university fees. The legislation is set to be voted down again when it is put to the Senate this week.

Christopher Pyne’s bill would deregulate university fees and slash funding for degrees by an average of 20 per cent. Credit:Andrew Meares

"There are consequences for not voting for this reform and that's very important for the crossbenchers to understand," Mr Pyne said.

"The consequences are that potentially seventeen hundred researchers will lose their jobs," he said.