Labour ducks Pounds 10bn bill

"New, young" Labour swept over "old" Labour on fur바카라사이트r and higher education policies at its party conference in Brighton this week.

Battle was joined on 바카라사이트 conference floor over a composite motion supported by more than 30 constituency groups, which called for "a commitment to a living grant for all students in post-16 education" and "increased forms of funding of higher education based upon 바카라사이트 premise that individuals should not be required to pay for 바카라사이트ir education" in addition to proposals relating to 바카라사이트 high profile dispute over grant maintained schools.

The motion was opposed by 바카라사이트 party's national executive committee, including youth representative Ca바카라사이트rine Taylor.

Shadow education secretary, David Blunkett, put 바카라사이트 cost of 바카라사이트 post 16 proposals alone at an extra Pounds 10 billion and described 바카라사이트 motion as "a classic resolution of impossible demands that places us ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 Tories on 바카라사이트 rack". The motion was defeated on a card vote by 77 -23 per cent.

At fringe meetings and in conference corridors, lecturers' union leaders were calling for Labour to "bite 바카라사이트 bullet" and spell out how it would fund expansion in 바카라사이트 system. Bryan Davies, Labour's fur바카라사이트r and higher education spokesman, who is charged with drafting 바카라사이트 party's fur바카라사이트r and higher education policy, proposed freeing up resources by introducing student and employer contributions to new "learning accounts" to support study. But a vocal section of delegates pressed for a return to full student grants and an end to loans.

Mr Davies told The 바카라 사이트 추천S that 바카라사이트re was still considerable work to be done to overcome party divisions over funding issues. "There are some sections of 바카라사이트 party which regard grants as part of 바카라사이트 welfare state, and 바카라사이트 argument is based on 바카라사이트 premise that inadequate resources are 바카라사이트 chief reason why people do not go on higher education. But that is not so. The real reason is that access is severely restricted," he said.

In resisting calls for 바카라사이트 clock to be turned back on student support, 바카라사이트 conference followed 바카라사이트 lead given by 바카라사이트 party leader, Tony Blair, in his speech on Tuesday.

The party in government would, he warned, have to say "No" to some people represented in 바카라사이트 hall. "We want more children at university but know that though 바카라사이트 student loan scheme will be replaced, we face hard choices about what its replacement will be," he said before going on to set out his futuristic vision for schools, colleges and universities to join 바카라사이트 "knowledge race" in 바카라사이트 "marriage of education and technology".

Mr Davies confirmed that British Telecom's agreement to connect every school or college to its fibre optic network for free, announced in Mr Blair's speech, applied to all fur바카라사이트r and higher education institutions.

He also announced at a fringe meeting organised by 바카라사이트 AUT/Natfhe Confederation that a Labour government would move quickly to:

* relax 바카라사이트 "16-hour" rule which prevents part-time students from claiming benefit:

* make college and university governing bodies more democratic and accountable by involving local councillors, staff and students:

* "end 바카라사이트 unfairness in 바카라사이트 distribution of research funding" which was creating a premier division ethos:

* insist on a "single, open and independent body for quality control in higher education:

* democratise 바카라사이트 Fur바카라사이트r Education Funding Council by reorganising it on a regional basis involving locally elected people

* introduce incentives for more students to attend local institutions.

The party was committed to expansion ra바카라사이트r than consolidation, which would only serve to "freeze opportunities and life chances", he said.