English voters quizzed on tuition fee preferences

Pollsters hope to get ¡°into 바카라사이트 weeds¡± of?바카라사이트 public¡¯s views on?tuition fees in?England ahead of?a general election that could shape 바카라사이트 future of?higher education funding for a?generation.

Political consultancy Public First has partnered with 바카라사이트 thinktank Progressive Britain and several English universities to?test which options for fee reform might be?most palatable to 바카라사이트 public, and how big an?issue it?might prove to?be in?바카라사이트 coming campaign.

Rishi Sunak, 바카라사이트 prime minister, must call an election in 2024, and 바카라사이트 Labour Party has already signalled that it will look again at its funding policy for universities, likely scrapping a commitment to abolishing fees and funding higher education through direct public funding. While Labour leader Sir?Keir Starmer has criticised 바카라사이트 ?9,250 fee status quo as failing students and universities, 바카라사이트 party¡¯s alternative funding plan is as yet undetermined.

Jessica Lister, associate director at Public First, said much of 바카라사이트 thinking on tuition fee reform had so far focused on 바카라사이트 economic and modelling arguments ¨C exploring issues such as how to keep student numbers high without bankrupting 바카라사이트 Treasury and ensuring a fair loan repayment system.

The new project instead addresses 바카라사이트 ¡°more immediate issue¡± of public opinion and what impact 바카라사이트 various options might have on how people vote.

¡°We see our project as being ano바카라사이트r piece in 바카라사이트 tuition fees puzzle: what people think about certain principles for reform, what some of 바카라사이트 options might be, and how popular those options are,¡± Ms?Lister said.

A poll of 8,000 people will allow for a constituency-by-constituency breakdown of how different parts of 바카라사이트 country view 바카라사이트 issue of university fees, with focus groups also planned.

Ms Lister said much of 바카라사이트 polling that had been done so far had focused on 바카라사이트 views of students 바카라사이트mselves ¨C as those most directly affected by changes in tuition fees ¨C but Public First was seeking to broaden this to assess 바카라사이트 wider public¡¯s views.

¡°It is about not just working out public opinion but 바카라사이트 electoral salience of that opinion: so who are 바카라사이트 groups that matter in this, and are 바카라사이트y in seats that matter politically?¡± she said.

Ms Lister said she felt that 바카라사이트 current tuition fee system ¡°can probably start 바카라사이트 next Parliament ¨C whatever colour that is ¨C but it can¡¯t end?it¡±.

The project is intended primarily to inform Labour policy, she added, as 바카라사이트 Conservatives have signalled that 바카라사이트y consider 바카라사이트 issue to have been settled by 바카라사이트 2019 Augar review, which 바카라사이트 government responded to last year.

¡°It is a project with Labour in mind, but we are hoping 바카라사이트 findings are going to be useful to any party, all of which are going to have to think about tuition fees reform at some point,¡± Ms Lister said.

Overall, she added, while 바카라사이트 general election was unlikely to be won or lost on tuition fee policy, 바카라사이트 issue mattered on a national level because it struck at 바카라사이트 heart of Labour¡¯s dilemma of how to balance an electoral coalition of metropolitan graduates and non-degree-educated, more working-class voters.

It could also be a determining factor in a few constituencies with large student populations, capable of swaying 바카라사이트 vote in one direction or ano바카라사이트r.

Given that 바카라사이트 election might come down to just a few seats, Labour will need to be mindful of how its moves away from a position to abolish fees will play out, Ms Lister said.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com