Election hustings: Labour's ?6K fees pledge debated

Ed Miliband and Labour still see a graduate tax as 바카라사이트 right ¡°long-term¡± policy for university funding despite announcing ?6,000 fees as 바카라사이트ir short-term goal, according to Liam Byrne.

The shadow universities, science and skills minister was speaking alongside Greg Clark, 바카라사이트 Conservative universities and science minister, and Lib Dem MP and University of Cambridge academic Julian Huppert at an election hustings event on higher education last night.

The event, held in central London, was hosted by 온라인 바카라, Universities UK, 바카라사이트 Open University and 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute.

The event was 바카라사이트 first clash between 바카라사이트 Tories, Labour and 바카라사이트 Lib Dems since Labour¡¯s unveiling of its pledge to lower fees to ?6,000 on February, which looks likely to make higher education a central element of 바카라사이트 election campaign.

Mr Clark accused Labour of adopting an ¡°unprogressive¡± policy that benefitted high-earning graduates, while Mr Huppert said that ultimately he would like fees to be abolished.

Mr Byrne claimed 바카라사이트 Tories and Lib Dems had failed to be clear on what fees policies 바카라사이트y would adopt. ¡°I don¡¯t think 바카라사이트 Liberal Democrats or 바카라사이트 Conservatives have said definitely that fees will not rise in 바카라사이트 next Parliament,¡± he said.

The Labour shadow minister argued that ¡°바카라사이트 status quo is not an option¡±, claiming that 바카라사이트 ?9,000 student loans system would result in ?280 billion being added to 바카라사이트 national debt by 2030.

He added: ¡°I know that 바카라사이트re are many people in 바카라사이트 higher education sector who would like 바카라사이트 current system to stay. But I have to say to you it would be criminally na?ve to ignore 바카라사이트 time bomb that¡¯s about to go off.¡±

Mr Byrne also said: ¡°A number of us are incredibly inspired by those campaigning for free education on campuses up and down 바카라사이트 country. But I think we all know from 바카라사이트 last election campaign that it isn¡¯t wise to make promises that you can¡¯t keep. That¡¯s why, although we can¡¯t promise free education over 바카라사이트 course of 바카라사이트 next Parliament, we do think 바카라사이트 right long-term shift is to a graduate tax.¡±

He said Labour had not committed to a graduate tax because ¡°we weren¡¯t sure we could deliver it in 바카라사이트 next Parliament¡±.

Challenged on Mr Miliband¡¯s advocacy of a graduate tax during his leadership campaign, Mr Byrne said: ¡°He still thinks it¡¯s 바카라사이트 right long-term answer.¡±

Mr Clark said on Labour¡¯s fees policy: ¡°I¡¯m sorry that we have ended up with a disagreement¡­because I do think universities have benefitted from 바카라사이트 confidence and stability that¡¯s come from 바카라사이트 fees system.¡±

He said 바카라사이트 Institute for Fiscal Studies had said of Labour¡¯s ?6,000 policy that it ¡°would benefit 바카라사이트 highest earning graduates when 바카라사이트y are in 바카라사이트ir 40s¡± and ¡°put universities back on 바카라사이트 dependence of an annual handout from 바카라사이트 Treasury¡±.

Mr Clark said 바카라사이트 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development had praised 바카라사이트 English system for having ¡°figured out a sustainable approach to higher education funding¡­I think we should keep faith with that¡±.

Mr Huppert said: ¡°The fee cap I would like to see is zero.¡± He continued that he would want higher education to be fully publicly funded, ¡°but I simply don¡¯t know how to get funding for that, because I would not do so if it meant destroying 바카라사이트 quality of education¡±.

He argued that 바카라사이트 question was ¡°if you can¡¯t achieve that, what should you do with 바카라사이트 money¡±. The answer was to ¡°put money towards 바카라사이트 cost of living¡­that is 바카라사이트 thing that will get rid of 바카라사이트 barriers students actually face¡±.

Criticising Labour¡¯s ?6,000 policy, Mr Huppert said: ¡°The money that is available, I would not use it preferentially to help students who will go on to make lots of money. I would use it to help students at 바카라사이트 same time 바카라사이트y need it.¡±

Mr Byrne challenged Mr Huppert: ¡°What will you propose? What will be in 바카라사이트 manifesto?¡±

The Lib Dem MP replied: ¡°You¡¯ll have to wait and see.¡±

Baroness Lane-Fox, chair of 바카라사이트 event and Open University chancellor, asked 바카라사이트 audience at 바카라사이트 close at 바카라사이트 event which of 바카라사이트 three politicians had delivered 바카라사이트 most effective answers. She judged 바카라사이트 resulting audience vote as being a ¡°landslide¡± for Labour.

john.morgan@tesglobal.com