EIGHT former rectors of Edinburgh University have criticised controversial proposals to reform the way Scottish universities are run.

The attack from high profile names from politics, sport, music and the media comes after concerns the post of rector at Scotland's ancient universities will be swept away under ministerial plans.

A letter to The Herald signed by politicians Lord Steel and Sir Tam Dalyell, football commentator Archie Macpherson, author Muriel Gray and musician Donnie Munro urges the Scottish Government to rethink.

The letter, which is also signed by footballer John Colquhoun, Scottish neurologist Malcolm Macleod and journalist Jonathon W.G. Wills, comes as former Prime Minister Gordon Brown - himself a former rector at Edinburgh University - also attacked the Higher Education Governance (Scotland) Bill.

In a letter to First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, Mr Brown challenged the Scottish Government over its "anti democratic tendencies" arguing that the elected role of rector is the most democratic feature of higher education.

However, the Scottish Government has denied the changes to university governance will have any impact on the role of rectors.

Mr Brown said: "The SNP is playing fast and loose with the democratic traditions of Scotland. It cannot be right that in 2015, at a time when we are opening up public appointments to both scrutiny and election, that we replace a democratic right that ensures transparency with a new law.

"That may mean that, instead of democratic election, the chair of the university’s highest governing body is pre-approved and vetted from outside by a government process."

The letter from former rectors states: "We are extremely concerned that the Scottish Government in their proposed legislation on university governance is seeking to abolish the right of rectors to chair university Courts and to downgrade the position of the rector to one which a university can choose to continue or not.

"The position of rector was introduced to bring democracy and transparency to the governance of universities and it has managed to do this successfully for many years.

"We feel that the proposals in the Scottish Government’s Bill takes away an ancient democratic right, unique to Scotland and seeks to replace it with a system where the chair of the university’s highest governing body will be someone pre-approved and vetted by a government process."

However, a Scottish Government spokeswoman categorically denied that the position of rector was under threat.

She said: "Rectors play an important role in the ancient institutions, raising the profile of the sector and representing students. The Scottish Government is clear that there is no intention at all to abolish the position of rector.

"The Scottish Government will not be involved in the appointment of an individual chair at any institution so the suggestion of government exerting greater direct control over the sector is just wrong.

"Over the summer, we asked all higher education stakeholders, including current rectors, for their views on how a model for elected chairs of court might work in practice. As the Higher Education Bill progresses through Parliament, we will continue to listen to all constructive views and suggestions made.”

Currently, the universities of Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow and St Andrews all have elected rectors who represent the student body.

Rectors, who are often celebrities or notable public figures, also chair meetings of the powerful Courts which run universities.

However, students fear the historic post will be swept away under new Scottish Government legislation to reform university governance.

Under the plans all chairs of Court will be elected in future, but the role of students in selecting candidates and voting could be drastically diminished.

Because the mechanisms for the appointment and election of governing body chairs will be made through ministerial regulations universities believe that will threaten their autonomy.