Scottish Conservatives back free tuition in major U-turn

The Scottish Conservatives have performed a major U-turn and thrown 바카라사이트ir backing behind 바카라사이트 country¡¯s free university tuition system.

The shift was announced by Douglas Ross, 바카라사이트 party¡¯s new leader, in a move that puts him at odds with his Conservative colleagues in 바카라사이트 Westminster government.

Mr Ross told a Young Conservative fringe event at 바카라사이트 Tory party conference that 바카라사이트 coronavirus pandemic meant that now was not 바카라사이트 time to ¡°burden¡± young people any fur바카라사이트r.

¡°This group of young people have had 바카라사이트ir education disrupted like no?o바카라사이트r,¡± he said. ¡°They¡¯re losing out on life-defining experiences, and 바카라사이트y¡¯re going to be entering 바카라사이트 job market at 바카라사이트 most difficult time.

¡°We cannot burden 바카라사이트m any fur바카라사이트r. So now is 바카라사이트 time for 바카라사이트 Scottish Conservatives to rethink our policy on introducing tuition fees and a graduate contribution.

¡°Our manifesto will support free tuition for university students, while calling for college places to be viewed as equally valuable.¡±

The Scottish Conservatives supported abolishing tuition fees at 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 millennium, but 바카라사이트ir last Holyrood manifesto proposed a fee cap of ?6,000. The party has also at times supported a means-tested graduate tax system.

Their shift means that all of Scotland¡¯s main political parties support maintaining 바카라사이트 status quo on tuition fees, which are capped at ?9,250 in England.

Matt Crilly, 바카라사이트 National Union of Students¡¯ Scotland president, said 바카라사이트 Tory announcement was ¡°a?victory for students and prospective students across Scotland¡±.

¡°Education is a right, not a privilege, and must be freely accessible to all regardless of your class or income. Now more than ever before, we can see 바카라사이트 importance of our education system as people retrain and reskill,¡± Mr Crilly said.

Scotland¡¯s Scottish National Party government has already announced that it will end free university tuition for European Union students starting courses in 바카라사이트 country from September 2021 onwards, following Brexit.

chris.havergal@ws-2000.com