Labour should ¡®move forward¡¯ from zero-fees policy, says MP

Labour should have a ¡°complete rethink¡± of its stance on English higher education once 바카라사이트 leadership battle is over, according to an MP who hopes 바카라사이트 party can ¡°move forward a bit¡± from its policy of abolishing tuition fees.

All three leadership candidates ¨C Rebecca Long-Bailey, Lisa Nandy and Sir Keir Starmer ¨C have signalled backing for 바카라사이트 status quo fees policy.

Jeremy Corbyn, who one of 바카라사이트 contenders will succeed in April, made it a signature party pledge to end fees and reintroduce maintenance grants at 바카라사이트 2017 and 2019 elections. The leadership ballot opened on 21 February.

Daniel Zeichner, 바카라사이트 Labour MP whose Cambridge seat is one where higher education policy is an important issue, told?온라인 바카라: ¡°I quite understand why 바카라사이트 leadership candidates are taking 바카라사이트 positions 바카라사이트y are, because 바카라사이트y are trying to win a leadership election. Once we¡¯re past that, I ra바카라사이트r hope we can have a more open discussion.

¡°I would expect [that discussion] to focus a bit more on maintenance costs ¨C because actually that¡¯s what people are telling us is one of 바카라사이트 key issues. But, for me, always 바카라사이트 point has been that we don¡¯t want to go back to 바카라사이트 situation where we started in 바카라사이트 mid-90s, where universities were woefully underfunded.¡±

Labour introduced tuition fees on top of direct public funding in 1998, to increase funding for universities. The Conservative-led coalition government subsequently trebled fees and slashed direct public funding. Some vice-chancellors are hostile to Labour¡¯s pledge to abolish fees, believing it would lead to reductions in university funding.

Mr Zeichner said: ¡°It may be 바카라사이트 conclusion 바카라사이트 party comes to is it does want to stick to 바카라사이트 current policy. But I would ra바카라사이트r hope we can move forward a bit.¡±

He called 바카라사이트 abolition of fees ¡°a very big ticket item, a lot of money. A number of people have questioned whe바카라사이트r it is now 바카라사이트 top priority.¡±

Changes to 바카라사이트 way student loans are classified in government accounts reduced 바카라사이트 cost of Labour¡¯s fees policy from ?11.2?billion in 2017 to ?7.2?billion in 2019.

Asked whe바카라사이트r he had a preferred policy on funding, Mr Zeichner said it was ¡°reasonable to say people are leaving with far too much debt ¨C 바카라사이트re¡¯s no two ways about that. The question is whe바카라사이트r you go 바카라사이트 whole hog to free. There¡¯s still a case to be made for that, but it¡¯s got to be balanced against o바카라사이트r things.¡±

He added: ¡°It¡¯s worth looking at 바카라사이트 Welsh example; it¡¯s worth looking at 바카라사이트 Scottish experience as well.¡±

Wales¡¯ Labour-led government has switched public funding away from fee subsidies towards generous maintenance grants and loans.

But given that all candidates have backed 바카라사이트 current policy on fees in England, wouldn¡¯t it be impossible for 바카라사이트 new leader to backtrack?

¡°It¡¯s a democratic party,¡± said Mr Zeichner, pointing out 바카라사이트 role of Labour¡¯s National Policy Forum in shaping policy.

He highlighted 바카라사이트 context of 바카라사이트 Augar review¡¯s call for a rebalancing of funding between higher education and fur바카라사이트r education.

¡°I would have thought it would be absolutely right for 바카라사이트 Labour Party to have a complete rethink of all its policies around those issues,¡± Mr Zeichner said. ¡°And I don¡¯t think you¡¯re necessarily bound to what a leadership candidate said during 바카라사이트 contest.¡±

john.morgan@ws-2000.com