Students hold national day of action over axeing of maintenance grants

Student campaigners are to lobby MPs across 바카라사이트 country over 바카라사이트 government¡¯s plan to scrap maintenance grants.

George Osborne, 바카라사이트 chancellor, Jo Johnson, 바카라사이트 universities minister, and Boris Johnson, 바카라사이트 mayor of London, are among 바카라사이트 parliamentarians set to be targeted by students¡¯ unions and anti-cuts activists on 18 September.

Mr Osborne announced in July that student maintenance grants will be scrapped and switched to loans from 2016-17 onwards. But 바카라사이트 National Union of Students said a survey that it had conducted had found that 35 per cent of respondents would not have chosen to go to university without 바카라사이트 help of a grant.

Megan Dunn, 바카라사이트 NUS president, said local and national action was being taken ¡°in order to secure a U-turn on maintenance grants¡±.

¡°It comes as no surprise that 바카라사이트 students of this country recognise 바카라사이트 profound and damaging effects 바카라사이트 cut to maintenance grants would have,¡± Ms Dunn said. ¡°When a third of students are saying this cut would stop 바카라사이트m going to university, 바카라사이트 government needs to sit up and take note.¡±

One group of students is set to travel to Jo Johnson¡¯s constituency in Orpington, Kent, to hold a protest outside his office.

The Free Education Manchester group plans to lobby Mr Osborne in his Tatton constituency, while Brunel Students¡¯ Union is to protest outside Boris Johnson¡¯s office in 바카라사이트 Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency.

Goldsmiths Students¡¯ Union is targeting Zac Goldsmith, Conservative MP for Richmond and 바카라사이트 frontrunner to be 바카라사이트 Conservative candidate in 바카라사이트 London mayoral election, while members of UCL Union are heading to Chingford, 바카라사이트 constituency of Iain Duncan Smith, 바카라사이트 work and pensions secretary.

Action is also planned in Birmingham, Norwich, Oxford, Warwick and Reading.

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com