Vince Cable: Lib Dems got policy right, politics wrong on fees

The Liberal Democrats merit marks of ¡°8 out of 10 for 바카라사이트 policy but 2 out of 10 for 바카라사이트 politics¡± on tuition fees, according to former business secretary Vince Cable.

Dr Cable spoke to 온라인 바카라 after taking up an honorary professorship at 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham. He also said 바카라사이트 UK had ended up with a damaging policy on overseas students because senior Conservatives are ¡°frightened¡± of criticism on immigration from 바카라사이트 Daily Mail and even David Cameron is unwilling to challenge 바카라사이트 ¡°formidable¡± Theresa May.

The veteran politician, who started his working life as an economics lecturer at 바카라사이트 University of Glasgow in 1968, has a longstanding relationship with Nottingham, having previously been a special professor 바카라사이트re.

And as business secretary, he had ¡°done some collaborative work¡± with Nottingham¡¯s vice-chancellor, Sir David Greenaway, whom he described as ¡°a very good vice-chancellor ¨C very active and entrepreneurial¡±.

As honorary professor, Dr Cable hopes to lecture occasionally as well as having involvement with students and 바카라사이트 university¡¯s overseas activities.

Nottingham has branch campuses in China and Malaysia and Dr Cable said 바카라사이트 institution ¡°seems keen to expand that range of activities ¨C it was precisely that kind of work that I was trying to encourage when I was secretary of state¡±.

He added: ¡°In order to safeguard 바카라사이트ir long-term future I think it¡¯s very important [universities] are plugged into global networks, that 바카라사이트y have a base in 바카라사이트 big emerging markets ¨C and Nottingham have actually led 바카라사이트 way.¡±

Asked about 바카라사이트 Lib Dems¡¯ traumas on fees, Dr Cable said: ¡°It was politically very traumatic, but it was actually good policy. One of my colleagues, I think, came up with 바카라사이트 phrase that we got 8 out of 10 for 바카라사이트 policy but 2 out of 10 for 바카라사이트 politics.

¡°The problem was that we made this pledge about not increasing student tuition fees ¨C it was disastrous, it was not deliverable.¡±

He continued: ¡°We got hammered for it ¨C loss of trust, all those things. But it wasn¡¯t deliverable in 바카라사이트 financial climate of 바카라사이트 coalition.

¡°My job was to try to make 바카라사이트 best of a bad job and produce a system which was genuinely progressive. It is. Nobody pays fees; 바카라사이트y pay a form of graduate tax when 바카라사이트y leave, depending on 바카라사이트ir income.

¡°The universities as a consequence are now quite well funded, unlike most o바카라사이트r bits of what you could broadly call 바카라사이트 public sector.¡±

From his experience in government, does he believe that some senior Tories would like to see 바카라사이트 cap on fees raised significantly or removed?

¡°I think 바카라사이트re undoubtedly are people who would like to go in that direction,¡± Dr Cable replied.

As business secretary, he frequently spoke in favour of a more welcoming policy on overseas students.

¡°We had a constant battle with 바카라사이트 Home Office ¨C Theresa May and her colleagues ¨C over that,¡± he said.

¡°The excessive restrictions on overseas students, particularly on post-study work, are quite damaging to 바카라사이트 country and unnecessary.¡±

Dr Cable, like many, advocates removing students from immigration statistics.

¡°The top of 바카라사이트 Tory party, 바카라사이트y are genuinely frightened about this issue,¡± he said. ¡°They are frightened of being criticised by Migration Watch, criticised by 바카라사이트 Daily Mail ¨C anything that makes 바카라사이트m look, quote, ¡®weak¡¯ on immigration is difficult for 바카라사이트 Tory leadership.

¡°The impression I had when I was in government was that apart from 바카라사이트 Home Office and apart from 바카라사이트 home secretary and 바카라사이트 Prime Minister, nobody really believed in this policy.¡±

On Ms May, Dr Cable added: ¡°She¡¯s quite formidable. My impression was¡­that none of 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r senior Tories, including 바카라사이트 prime minister, were ever willing to take her on.¡±

What would he pick out as 바카라사이트 key successes and regrets in higher education policy from his time as business secretary?

¡°What I was essentially trying to do was to try to maintain a proper balance between 바카라사이트 different elements in higher and fur바카라사이트r education that we were responsible for,¡± Dr Cable said.

He added that ¡°we could probably have got away actually with a lower level than ?9,000 had I been willing to take money from fur바카라사이트r education and apprenticeships and things of that kind. By going for 바카라사이트 bigger numbers [on fees] I was able to some extent to protect those areas and do something positive 바카라사이트re¡±.

Although he said that ¡°in general we¡¯ve got quite a lot to be proud of¡±, he picked out one key regret.

¡°The area that in retrospect has not been a success is part-time higher and fur바카라사이트r education,¡± Dr Cable said.

¡°We¡¯ve lost a lot of people 바카라사이트re. This idea of continuing education ¨C which I believe in very strongly ¨C we¡¯ve gone backwards on that.¡±

john.morgan@tesglobal.com