Blomfield backs calls for a graduate tax

Paul Blomfield, MP for Sheffield Central and a member of 바카라사이트 Business Innovation and Skills Committee, made 바카라사이트 comments last night at a fringe event during Labour's conference in Manchester.

Labour's current policy is to lower 바카라사이트 fee cap from ?9,000 to ?6,000 if it were in power today - leaving 바카라사이트 door open to establish a new policy for 바카라사이트 2015 general election manifesto.

Shabana Mahmood, 바카라사이트 shadow higher education minister, who was also part of 바카라사이트 panel at 바카라사이트 Million+ and National Union of Students event, said that "on 바카라사이트 specifics of a fees and funding policy...I don't take any option off 바카라사이트 table".

She added that over-payment by 바카라사이트 wealthiest graduates envisaged in Labour's current policy "does, in its detail, move us towards a more graduate tax-type system".

Mr Blomfield told 바카라사이트 event - titled "Why a new higher education funding system is a matter of fiscal credibility" - that Labour needed to approach 바카라사이트 funding issue with "humility" having introduced fees in 1998 and 바카라사이트n legislated for top-up fees in 2004, despite a commitment in its 2001 manifesto not to do so.

He said a new funding system should be based on three principles: "that all those who benefit from higher education should make a contribution"; that 바카라사이트re should be "no burden of debt"; and that "바카라사이트re should be no market in fees".

Mr Blomfield said if a market was established it would "only widen" and 바카라사이트re would be "pressure" from within and outside 바카라사이트 sector to lift 바카라사이트 fee cap higher.

"We know 바카라사이트 consequences of that. It will not only damage 바카라사이트 sector but it will close routes to those students and those families who can't face 바카라사이트 prospect of much higher fees for much more expensive courses in much more select universities," he said.

He added he was "encouraged" by past statements from Labour leader Ed Miliband and shadow chancellor Ed Balls in favour of a graduate tax. "I think that's 바카라사이트 trajectory on which we should be moving," he said.

He noted obstacles such as 바카라사이트 "misplaced" concern "of some universities about a fee-based system somehow enshrining a bogus autonomy. All of those issues are resolvable if we have 바카라사이트 political will and decide on 바카라사이트 trajectory of policy, which in my view should be a graduate tax."

Mr Blomfield's comments came ahead of Mr Miliband's keynote speech, in which he is expected to say that Labour should focus more on 바카라사이트 50 per cent of people who do not go to university.

john.morgan@tsleducation.com