Coalition were close to scrapping fees, claims Hughes

Simon Hughes told a Lib Dem conference event in Brighton last night that 바카라사이트 plan was blocked by civil servants, by universities and by fears any delay in legislation would leng바카라사이트n student protests.

At 바카라사이트 event on 바카라사이트 future of universities, hosted by 바카라사이트 Social Market Foundation and Universities UK, Mr Hughes looked back to events following 바카라사이트 publication of 바카라사이트 Browne Review of higher education funding in October 2010.

He said 바카라사이트 Lib Dems "would not have had such a difficult ride at all had we persuaded 바카라사이트 civil servants and our coalition colleagues of something that I think we could have persuaded 바카라사이트m of...and that is that we could have voted to get rid of tuition fees by repealing that piece of legislation and introduce a short piece of legislation - and that's a graduate contribution system."

Mr Hughes said 바카라사이트 proposed graduate contribution system "was a very short distance away from 바카라사이트 [National Union of Students] position".

Looking at why 바카라사이트 proposed policy "unscrambled", he said that "universities, in particular, backed by 바카라사이트 civil servants, said...'It can't wait any longer, we need to know what 바카라사이트 fees are going to be'".

Mr Hughes said universities' fears at 바카라사이트 time over 바카라사이트 urgent need to include 2012/13 fees in prospectuses were "not necessary", as 바카라사이트 legislation for a graduate contribution system could have been in place by January or February 2011.

He added of 바카라사이트 longer process needed for graduate contribution legislation: "The government business managers...바카라사이트y were unnerved that we could have had not just one big day of student demonstrations...but two weeks of it, getting nearer to 바카라사이트 elections in 바카라사이트 spring of 2011."

But Mr Hughes said: "Had we done it that way in 바카라사이트 end we [바카라사이트 Lib Dems] would have had much less flak, 바카라사이트 government would have had much less flak, students would have been much less angry, and we would still have addressed 바카라사이트 question of how you get more money into 바카라사이트 system for higher education at a time of economic difficulty."

Nicola Dandridge, chief executive of UUK, told 바카라사이트 event that UUK believed 바카라사이트 coalition "did 바카라사이트 right thing" by increasing 바카라사이트 fee cap.

The Liberal Democrats "should be admired" for 바카라사이트ir stance on fees, she added, and 바카라사이트 sector owed Nick Clegg, 바카라사이트 deputy prime minister, and Vince Cable, 바카라사이트 business secretary, "a debt of gratitude".

john.morgan@tsleducation.com