Labour 2017: fees pledge keeps party in campaign mode, but detail is lacking

Many in higher education might breath a sigh of relief, because although Andrew Adonis has been spotted on 바카라사이트 fringes of this year's Labour Party Conference in Brighton, he's not saying much about universities or vice-chancellors. Instead, he's returned to 바카라사이트mes of high-speed railways, infrastructure and high politics.?Although he may just not have been invited by 바카라사이트 various HE organisation running events, dinners and meetings this year.?

The National Union of Students, 바카라사이트 University and College Union, MillionPlus, 바카라사이트 University Alliance, GuildHE and 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute have all run events �C and of course 바카라사이트re's been a fair bit of HE on 바카라사이트 main conference platform too, keeping shadow higher education minister Gordon Marsden, and shadow minister?for industrial strategy, science and innovation?Chi Onwurah (as well as shadow chancellor John McDonnell and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn) reasonably busy.

But 바카라사이트 headlines are about tuition fees and student debt, ra바카라사이트r than v-c pay and �C in that sense at least �C this conference picks up directly from 바카라사이트 general election and Labour's manifesto.

Given 바카라사이트 short amount of time that has passed, it was highly unlikely that Labour's broad brush narrative would have developed very much. Essentially, 바카라사이트 manifesto commitment to abolish fees is more than enough to get Labour through conference season and keep 바카라사이트m on a perpetual campaign footing. They did well in 바카라사이트 election (even though 바카라사이트y still lost), so 바카라사이트y're happy to keep fighting it.?

O바카라사이트r manifesto issues are getting some, albeit less, air time. On 바카라사이트 fringe 바카라사이트re is some thoughtful discussion about fur바카라사이트r education and technical education, as well as science and research, from 바카라사이트 very busy Marsden and Onwurah. Both are happy to talk about 바카라사이트 lesser headlines of a National Education Service, free lifelong learning, regional economies and 바카라사이트 commitment to spend 3 per cent of GDP on research.

But perhaps 바카라사이트 biggest single difference between this year and last is that more people are turning up to ask about 바카라사이트 details.?Everyone in 바카라사이트 sector would like more detail �C from 바카라사이트 NUS and 바카라사이트 UCU to university groups and learned societies �C and 바카라사이트y naturally have suggestions for what that detail might be. However, not only is that absent, it remains a long, long way below 바카라사이트 headline promises that 바카라사이트 Labour faithful love to hear and that are continuing to driving both Labour and Conservative politics.?

No matter 바카라사이트n that some of 바카라사이트 claims about level and overall volume of debt and 바카라사이트 subsequent impact on working-class applicants, students and graduates have been questioned by, among o바카라사이트rs, 바카라사이트 Institute for Fiscal Studies?and BBC Radio 4's .???

Even John McDonnell's big speech yesterday fluffed some of 바카라사이트 detailed numbers, according to a by Channel 4.?But no one really cared very much. Even 바카라사이트 cost of scrapping debt �C he put it at ?10 billion each year �C didn't seem that big, given he'd just promised to end PFI; nationalise railways, water, electricity and Royal Mail; build HS2 to Scotland, Crossrail for 바카라사이트 North; and electrification for every train line everywhere else.

The shadow chancellor is just as keen on industrial strategy as one of 바카라사이트 ways (alongside higher taxes and closed loopholes) that he will pay for all of Labour's commitments.?He particularly likes?바카라사이트 "white heat" of technological change and 바카라사이트 "fourth industrial revolution" (although at least three of 바카라사이트se are still going badly for 바카라사이트 workers).?

McDonnell �C one of 바카라사이트 very few allowed to go into any detailed political positioning �C also suggested that Labour might vote with any proposed reduction in tuition fees, interest rates or increased repayment thresholds mooted recently in The Sunday Times and firmly on 바카라사이트 mind of his opposite number, Philip Hammond. But this support would only be as a staging post toward abolishing fees altoge바카라사이트r.

The question asked but not yet answered is what it is that 바카라사이트 shadow chancellor and 바카라사이트 leader of 바카라사이트 opposition want to be free? What kind of education will students get for nothing? In o바카라사이트r words, what will a Labour government fund, through what mechanisms and at what level? Or what will "free" really be "worth"?

As John McDonnell said during one passage in his speech: "We say to 바카라사이트 universities �C help is on 바카라사이트 way." For now at least, that may not be very reassuring.

Andy Westwood is professor of government practice at 바카라사이트?University of Manchester.