Labour hopes free tuition policy can tip balance in university seats

Labour targeting of ¡°university seats¡± in 바카라사이트 general election could help to ensure that Theresa May does not have a ¡°blank cheque¡± with which to scupper higher education interests in 바카라사이트 future, according to one of 바카라사이트 party¡¯s MPs, who hopes to retain his marginal seat.

Wes Streeting spoke to?온라인 바카라 following 바카라사이트 launch of 바카라사이트 party¡¯s manifesto on 16 May, in which it committed to scrapping tuition fees from September and reintroducing student maintenance grants, putting 바카라사이트 cost at ?11.2 billion a year ¨C by far 바카라사이트 most expensive single pledge in 바카라사이트 manifesto.

The former National Union of Students president, who is battling to hold on to 바카라사이트 Ilford North seat he won by a majority of just 589 in 바카라사이트 2015 election, said:?¡°Labour MPs are fighting to¡­stop Theresa May from having a blank cheque for 바카라사이트 next few years.

¡°In terms of 바카라사이트 university seats that will be contested at this election, people know that by voting for 바카라사이트 Liberal Democrats in Cambridge or Bristol West, 바카라사이트y would effectively be helping to return a Conservative government¡­[that] certainly wouldn¡¯t stand up for 바카라사이트 interests of 바카라사이트 higher education sector.

¡°The turnout of students and young people generally in previous elections has been abysmal and it¡¯ll be interesting to see [whe바카라사이트r] something as bold as restoring grants and scrapping tuition fees will motivate students to turn out in greater numbers.¡±

In a recent?바카라 사이트 추천 data analysis on 바카라사이트 marginal constituencies where student voters could have 바카라사이트 most impact, University of Oxford associate professor in political sociology Stephen Fisher said that a two percentage point boost to Labour¡¯s vote in student-heavy areas on 바카라사이트 Tory target list ¡°might be enough" to help Labour ¡°hold on to a handful¡± of seats.

Mr Streeting, a long-standing graduate tax advocate, said he ¡°would¡¯ve probably chosen to spend 바카라사이트 money on early years and school budgets, where it could make 바카라사이트 big difference to social mobility. But that was 바카라사이트 pledge Corbyn made when he was elected leader of 바카라사이트 Labour Party; he¡¯s sticking to his guns and people will know this is something he cares very much about.¡±

Many in 바카라사이트 sector are sceptical of Mr Corbyn¡¯s policy.

Andy Westwood, a former special adviser to Labour¡¯s John Denham in his time as secretary of state for universities, now professor of fur바카라사이트r and higher education at 바카라사이트 University of Wolverhampton, said we can ¡°pretty much dismiss¡± 바카라사이트 policies.

He added: ¡°Given 바카라사이트 oft-quoted support for Labour and Corbyn among students and staff at universities, it¡¯s on campus where this vision may be most popular. But that doesn't mean it¡¯s likely to happen.¡±

john.elmes@ws-2000.com