Clegg attacks Tory policy on living cost grants

Nick Clegg, former deputy prime minister in 바카라사이트 coalition government that trebled fees, has called 바카라사이트 Conservatives¡¯ decision to scrap maintenance grants ¡°a source of great regret¡±.

The former Liberal Democrat leader, who famously apologised for pledging before 바카라사이트 2010 general election that 바카라사이트 party would oppose any rise in fees, was speaking today at 바카라사이트 launch of thinktank 바카라사이트 Social Market Foundation¡¯s Commission on Inequality in Education, a cross-party initiative examining 바카라사이트 causes and effects of inequality in primary and secondary school-level education in England and Wales.

Although 바카라사이트 commission,?in which Mr Clegg will be a member, will not focus on higher education, 바카라사이트 Liberal Democrat MP did comment when asked by 온라인 바카라 what he thought 바카라사이트 effect of raising fees to ?9,000 has had, or will have, on inequality in education.

Mr Clegg replied that figures showed that universities were now recruiting 바카라사이트 ¡°highest proportion of youngsters from disadvantaged backgrounds¡± ever.

He added: ¡°Without once again being invited to go back over all that, if you don¡¯ t mind, 바카라사이트 evidence is quite, quite different from all 바카라사이트 heated accusations that were made at 바카라사이트 time.¡±

But he went on to criticise 바카라사이트 new Tory government for taking 바카라사이트 decision to scrap all student maintenance grants, which had been awarded to poorer students on a sliding scale, and replace 바카라사이트m with loans.

Mr Clegg said: ¡°Those upfront living costs are often 바카라사이트 most intimidating of all, much more important than what you pay a long time after university. That¡¯s what I think ¨C sorry to sound a party [political] note ¨C is a source of great regret, that this government has changed those grants for living costs for disadvantaged families into loans.¡±

He suggested that maintenance grants had been a ¡°hidden reason¡± why poorer students ¡°weren¡¯t being discouraged¡± from applying to university.

The commission is made up of three MPs ¨C Mr Clegg, Suella Fernandes of 바카라사이트 Conservatives and Stephen Kinnock of Labour ¨C and two education experts, Sam Freedman of graduate teaching recruiter Teach First and Rebecca Allen of policy research firm Education Datalab.

Initial research conducted by 바카라사이트 SMF for 바카라사이트 commission suggests that where a child lives and grows up has a major effect on 바카라사이트ir educational achievement.

Forthcoming analysis will also look into 바카라사이트 effects of gender, family income and ethnicity on inequality in education. A report on 바카라사이트 commission¡¯s findings will be released early next year.