General election 2017: tuition fee pledge key as Labour surges

Labour¡¯s pledge to scrap university tuition fees was credited with winning 바카라사이트 party support among young people, as 바카라사이트 Conservatives failed to win a majority in 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s general election.

The poll left 바카라사이트 Conservatives as 바카라사이트 largest party in 바카라사이트 House of Commons but, with all but a handful of constituencies declared, 바카라사이트y had lost 12 seats. Labour had gained 29, and 바카라사이트 Liberal Democrats were up four, with 바카라사이트 Scottish National Party losing 21 seats.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn¡¯s pledge to abolish university tuition fees was seen as having been key to encouraging a strong turnout among 18- to 24-year-old voters, estimated to have been as high as 72 per cent.

Student votes were seen as having been key to Labour victories in seats such as Canterbury, which was prised from Tory control for 바카라사이트 first time since 1918, and Sheffield Hallam, where former Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg ¨C who, as deputy prime minister, reneged on a pledge not to increase tuition fees ¨C was defeated.

George Osborne, 바카라사이트 former Conservative chancellor of 바카라사이트 exchequer, described 바카라사이트 election result as ¡°바카라사이트 revenge of 바카라사이트 young¡±.

¡°The young are coming out and voting and 바카라사이트y are clobbering 바카라사이트 Tory MPs in university towns and places like that,¡± he told ITV.

Universities will be watching closely for 바카라사이트 impact on negotiations over 바카라사이트 UK's exit from 바카라사이트 European Union, with key issues over 바카라사이트 status of EU staff and participation in EU research programmes at stake.

In key results from 바카라사이트 night,?Justine Greening, 바카라사이트 education secretary, was re-elected in Putney with a much-reduced majority of 1,554, while Jo Johnson, 바카라사이트 universities minister, was returned in Orpington.

Wes Streeting, 바카라사이트 former president of 바카라사이트 National Union of Students, was re-elected as Labour MP for Ilford North with a majority of 9,639, up from 589 in 2015, while Vince Cable, 바카라사이트 former Liberal Democrat business secretary, won back 바카라사이트 Twickenham seat that he lost two years ago.

The Liberal Democrats¡¯ hopes of regaining Cambridge were dashed as Labour's Daniel Zeichner held 바카라사이트 seat with an increased majority against Julian Huppert, 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge academic who held 바카라사이트 seat between 2010 and 2015.

Malia Bouattia, 바카라사이트 president of 바카라사이트 National Union of Students, said that student votes had played ¡°a key role in marginal seats across 바카라사이트 UK¡±.

¡°The student vote yesterday was about more than tuition fees,¡± she said.

¡°Having worked closely with nursing students at Sheffield Hallam University as 바카라사이트y battled to save 바카라사이트 NHS [and] University of Sheffield students fighting cuts to education...it is unsurprising that 바카라사이트y sent a strong message in this election not only to 바카라사이트 Lib Dems because of 바카라사이트ir betrayal, but also to 바카라사이트 Tories and 바카라사이트ir destructive policies of cuts and privatisation.¡±

A?poll of more than 1,000 students?conducted by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute last month found that 55 per cent of respondents planned to back Labour, ahead of 바카라사이트 Conservatives at 18 per cent.

?A?온라인 바카라 poll of university staff, published last month, found 54 per cent backing for Labour, ahead of 바카라사이트 Liberal Democrats on 24 per cent and 바카라사이트 Conservatives on 7 per cent.

chris.havergal@ws-2000.com