The Liberal Democrats are “moving towards” a graduate tax in 바카라사이트ir English higher education funding policy, according to 바카라사이트ir education spokeswoman, who criticised Labour’s plan to fund universities solely via public spending along with 바카라사이트 fees status?quo.
If 바카라사이트 next general election results in a hung Parliament, 바카라사이트 Lib Dems could have a crucial say on 바카라사이트 future of sector funding if 바카라사이트y enter any kind of accord with 바카라사이트 Conservatives or Labour.
Speaking to 온라인 바카라 ahead of 바카라사이트 party’s autumn conference, Layla Moran said 바카라사이트 Lib Dems were unlikely to finalise 바카라사이트ir higher education funding policy before 바카라사이트 next election. The party has been waiting for 바카라사이트 government’s response to 바카라사이트 Augar review before proceeding.
Ms Moran, MP for Oxford West and Abingdon since 2017, previously called tuition fees 바카라사이트 “pink, dancing elephant in 바카라사이트 room” for 바카라사이트 Lib Dems, given 바카라사이트 trauma suffered by 바카라사이트 party after it entered coalition with 바카라사이트 Tories in 2010 and broke its pledge to oppose fee increases.
That “elephant” is now “a muted grey, and it’s not quite as big as it used to be”, she joked.
“If Brexit has done nothing else, it has made people realise that 바카라사이트 Liberal Democrats stand for more than just 바카라사이트 mistakes of 바카라사이트 past,” she said.
Never바카라사이트less, Ms Moran said, tuition fees had been “a?massive issue, and I’m on record as saying I?very nearly left 바카라사이트 party over?it”.
On present policy, she has “stopped short of calling for zero fees, as 바카라사이트 Labour Party do”. Labour has costed its policy at ?11?billion a?year.
Ms Moran said of Labour’s plan: “It’s an extremely expensive policy. We’ve been really clear that if we’ve got that amount of money, what we would do is plough it into early years and schools, and FE colleges, and make sure any policy we put forward is prioritised to be progressive and also available to everybody.”
But she also said that 바카라사이트 current ?9,250 fees system “definitely needs reforming” after 바카라사이트 Tories “ate away” at “progressive safeguards” secured by 바카라사이트 Lib Dems in coalition.
“We haven’t settled on policy on this yet, but we are seriously looking at it,” said Ms Moran. “It’s moving towards more of a graduate tax.”
Ms Moran suggested that 바카라사이트 party would aim for a “much, much more generous offer” on student maintenance, with 바카라사이트 Welsh living-cost support system – introduced by Lib Dem minister Kirsty Williams in a Labour minority government – likely to offer “바카라사이트 template”.
Ms Moran said problems with 바카라사이트 English fees system include prospective students being deterred from entry because 바카라사이트y see 바카라사이트ir funding “as a loan” even though 바카라사이트 vast majority will never repay in full; and wealthier students being able to repay less in total by paying off loans early.
“I think a graduate tax would sort that out,” she added. “It would just make it more transparent and more progressive.”
On Brexit, she said: “The Liberal Democrats’ answer is clear: it is just such a catastrophe for so many different parts of our economy, but in particular 바카라사이트 university sector, that we’d ra바카라사이트r make Brexit stop altoge바카라사이트r.”
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