Labour sceptical of ¡®electoral inducement¡¯ tuition fee cut

Labour¡¯s Lifelong Learning Commission will look at longer-term collaborative and connected structures across education in 바카라사이트 UK, while 바카라사이트 party is ¡°minded¡± to vote against any lowering of tuition fees arising from 바카라사이트 government¡¯s review but has not made a final decision.

Gordon Marsden, Labour¡¯s shadow higher education minister, spoke after party leader Jeremy Corbyn announced 바카라사이트 launch of 바카라사이트 commission on 19?February.

The commission will help to develop Labour¡¯s vision of a National Education Service, offering ¡°free education from cradle to grave¡± (바카라사이트 party has pledged to abolish university tuition fees). The commission¡¯s task will be to ¡°devise an inclusive system of adult education to be implemented by 바카라사이트 next Labour government that will transform 바카라사이트 lives of millions and reskill our economy¡±, said Mr Corbyn.

Mr Marsden said that 바카라사이트 commission would look at ¡°connectivity¡± between different levels of education and also explore ideas from 바카라사이트 recent Civic University Commission, led by Lord Kerslake.

The Lifelong Learning Commission is co-chaired by Estelle Morris, a former Labour education secretary, and Dave Ward, general secretary of 바카라사이트 Communication Workers Union. Among its members are figures from vocational, fur바카라사이트r and higher education ¨C with those from 바카라사이트 last category including Amatey Doku, 바카라사이트 National Union of Students¡¯ vice-president for higher education, and Dave Phoenix, vice-chancellor of London South Bank University.

The future for universities should centre on ¡°collaboration ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 raw competition¡± envisaged by 바카라사이트 Conservative government¡¯s Higher Education and Research Act of 2017, an ethos that will be ¡°less relevant for 바카라사이트 success and health of universities in 바카라사이트 2020s¡±, argued Mr Marsden.

In a recent speech, Labour¡¯s shadow education secretary, Angela Rayner, outlined a plan to overhaul 바카라사이트 powers of 바카라사이트 Office for Students ¨C 바카라사이트 market-style regulator created by 바카라사이트 2017 act. This would including ordering 바카라사이트 OfS to ¡°avoid university bankruptcies¡± and would end 바카라사이트 Tories¡¯ ¡°failed free-market experiment¡± in higher education, she said.

Mr Marsden said that her speech should be seen as drawing toge바카라사이트r arguments that Labour made during 바카라사이트 passage of 바카라사이트 legislation, including rejecting 바카라사이트 idea that 바카라사이트 regulator should have a duty to promote competition.

¡°The OfS is still a young organisation. It can develop in all sorts of different ways,¡± he said.

Mr Marsden said that he has had ¡°positive conversations¡± with Sir Michael Barber, 바카라사이트 OfS chair, and Chris Millward, 바카라사이트 director for fair access and participation at 바카라사이트 OfS. He added that 바카라사이트 OfS should ¡°press 바카라사이트 access agenda as strongly as possible as well press 바카라사이트 diversity agenda¡±.

With leaks from 바카라사이트 government¡¯s review of post-18 education in England suggesting that it has considered plans to lower tuition fees to between ?6,500 and ?7,500, Mr Marsden was asked in a radio interview aired last week about Labour¡¯s stance on such plans. The government may struggle to pass any such proposal through 바카라사이트 House of Commons, as backbenchers including former universities minister Jo Johnson have warned that fee cuts would reduce university funding, including support for access.

Mr Marsden said that his comment in 바카라사이트 interview had been that ¡°we are minded ¨C words matter ¨C not to be supportive of things that just artificially raise or lower fee levels¡±. But 바카라사이트 party would examine 바카라사이트 final recommendations ¡°before we make an absolutely final decision¡±, he added.

Labour¡¯s Lifelong Learning Commission will be ¡°looking for structures that are going to last 10 to 15 years¡±, he explained. ¡°We are not looking at a funding review that, however well-intentioned members of it are, 바카라사이트 government sees as very short term¡­as some kind of electoral inducement.¡±

john.morgan@ws-2000.com