Labour commit to reduced fees
In the run up to this year's General Election, Labour have fired the starting pistol on Higher Education and Student policy and announced their commitment to lowering tuition fees.
As the campaigns for the General Election begin to kick off, Ed Miliband has announced that he and the Labour Party intend on cutting tuition fees as one of their election pledges. Speaking in Salford earlier this week, the Labour Leader Ed Miliband announced the plan with early suggestions indicating the party may opt for a figure around £6000, although no formal policy has been put forward.
Introducing Miliband was a University of Leeds Final Year student who highlighted that they would be facing a 'millstone' of debt on leaving university. Miliband, however, would not be drawn on the specifics of this announcement, asking listeners to 'watch this space'.
During the speech Miliband accused the government of not helping young people. He said 'The Tories are telling you that there has never been more opportunity for young people. But your son or daughter can't afford to go to university and the only other option is a zero-hours job. The Labour plan is one that says that all those who go out to work are as important and valuable to our country as those who get the six-figure bonuses.'
Miliband continued, 'At a time when education and training are critical to the chances of earning a decent wage—and to the long-term success of our country-- tuition fees have trebled and apprenticeships for young people are actually falling.'
However, the plans that will eventually be put forward will not be without criticism. In November last year, plans to lower the cost of tuition to £6000 was attacked by a prominent Vice Chancellor. Professor Ed Byrne from Kings College University said 'If £3,000 per student was taken out of the university base and not replaced, one would destroy the system and one would make the UK non-competitive.'
Adding 'Labour must identify clearly if the additional £3,000 would come from government funding and that university funding must not be reduced. The danger is that one accepts chronic underfunding of the university system and hence a second-rate system.'
by James Howell
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