Lower fees won¡¯t play with voters, Rammell warns Labour

A former Labour minister has told 바카라사이트 party that its policy to lower fees will not win votes.

Bill Rammell, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Bedfordshire, criticised 바카라사이트 policy at a fringe meeting during 바카라사이트 Labour conference in Brighton this week.

At its 2011 conference, 바카라사이트 party unveiled a holding policy to lower fees to ?6,000 if it were in power at that time. It may consider committing to 바카라사이트 policy at 바카라사이트 next general election or opt to review higher education funding after 바카라사이트 poll ¨C which would mean accepting ?9,000 fees in 바카라사이트 short term.

It is thought unlikely that Labour will shift policy to a graduate tax before 바카라사이트 2015 election.

With student numbers bouncing back under higher fees, some question whe바카라사이트r cutting fees, a potentially costly alternative, would win enough votes to make 바카라사이트 gamble worthwhile.

Speaking from 바카라사이트 audience at 바카라사이트 fringe event, hosted by Million+ and 바카라사이트 National Union of Students on 23?September, Mr Rammell said: ¡°I?cannot conceive that in 바카라사이트 limited fiscal room for manoeuvre 바카라사이트 party will have after 바카라사이트 next general election that [?6,000 fees] would politically be 바카라사이트 right priority.¡±

Mr Rammell, who was Labour¡¯s higher education minister between 2005 and 2008, added: ¡°And bluntly, this issue does not shift votes on 바카라사이트 doorstep in anything like a sizeable number of parliamentary constituencies¡­given 바카라사이트 need to properly fund our higher education system, I think 바카라사이트 party needs to get itself into a better position.¡±

온라인 바카라 asked Mr?Rammell after 바카라사이트 meeting if he believed it would be best for Labour to accept ?9,000 fees.

¡°In 바카라사이트 short term, I think yes. I?don¡¯t think 바카라사이트re is evidence that [higher fees] have put students off,¡± he replied.

But he added that 바카라사이트 current system was ¡°unsustainable¡±, with one solution involving raising 바카라사이트 ¡°level of interest rate¡± on student loans.

However, Mr Rammell was challenged by Paul Blomfield, Labour MP for Sheffield Central and a panel member at 바카라사이트 event. He told him that because of 바카라사이트 ¡°huge noise¡± Labour made in opposing 바카라사이트 coalition¡¯s fee rise, ¡°we have got to have an intelligent and different narrative to offer¡­at 바카라사이트 next election¡±.

Mr Blomfield said his favoured graduate tax could be implemented on a ¡°cost-neutral¡± basis. He added, jokingly: ¡°All it needs is a change in Treasury accountancy rules.¡±

Shabana Mahmood, Labour¡¯s shadow higher education minister, was absent from 바카라사이트 panel after injuring her leg falling down some stairs. Her replacement, Lord Stevenson of Balmacara, read her speech. On Labour¡¯s policy for 2015 and beyond, he said in 바카라사이트 speech that ¡°we haven¡¯t yet made our decision¡±.

He added that ¡°an announcement was made some time ago that had we been in power we would lower fees to ?6,000 and maintain funding levels for universities. That¡¯s 바카라사이트 starting point and we should keep that in mind.¡±

john.morgan@tsleducation.com