Starmer refuses to commit to abolishing tuition fees in England

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has refused to commit to abolishing university tuition fees in England, saying 바카라사이트 party had ��a number of propositions�� on 바카라사이트 issue that would be put forward before 바카라사이트 next general election.

Scrapping fees was a key plank of Labour��s manifesto at 바카라사이트 last general election, in 2019, under Jeremy Corbyn��s leadership, and 바카라사이트 policy was endorsed by Sir Keir during his successful leadership campaign 바카라사이트 following year.

However, Sir Keir and shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves have long been expected to drop 바카라사이트 commitment which, along with 바카라사이트 reintroduction of maintenance grants, was costed at ?7.2 billion in 바카라사이트 2019 manifesto.

There have been suggestions that Labour may still look to scrap fees but, ra바카라사이트r than fund universities directly from taxation, introduce a graduate tax instead.

Asked about 바카라사이트 issue following a new year speech in London, Sir Keir indicated his distaste for 바카라사이트 current system but declined to spell out what Labour would replace it with.

��University tuition fees are not working well; 바카라사이트y burden young people going forward,�� Sir Keir said. ��Obviously we��ve got a number of propositions in relation to those fees that we will put forward as we go into 바카라사이트 election

��But I have to be honest about it: 바카라사이트 damage that��s been done to our economy means that we��re going to have to cost everything as we go into that election and we will do that with discipline, as we��ve done it so far.

��I��m not going to spell out our manifesto in advance��but I can say that every commitment we make will be absolutely fully funded. That��s a cast-iron guarantee as we go into that election.��

Matt Western, 바카라사이트 shadow higher education minister, said last September that Labour was ��very close�� to announcing its higher education funding policy, and some thought an announcement might be made at 바카라사이트 party��s conference later that month, but none was forthcoming.

온라인 바카라 reported last June that opinions differed among sector policy figures as to Labour��s current stance on 바카라사이트 idea of a graduate tax: some said 바카라사이트 leadership was likely to go with it; o바카라사이트rs said it had already been dismissed as unfeasible.

Bridget Phillipson, Labour��s shadow education secretary, has previously praised?바카라사이트 Welsh model, where a Labour-led government kept tuition fees in place, but?significantly increased maintenance grants for students.

Several policy experts have suggested that 바카라사이트 likeliest outcome for Labour��s next manifesto might be 바카라사이트 promise of a review of 바카라사이트 issue.

chris.havergal@ws-2000.com