Lib Dems step up campaign for new students (Andrew Simpson)

Lib Dems step up campaign for new students

August 12, 2003 12:00 AM

With the publication of A level results due on Thursday Liberal Democrats in Northampton are stepping up their campaign against "top-up" fees and for the scrapping of tuition fees.

"We must ensure that money is not a barrier to going to college or university"

Lib Dem Parliamentary spokesperson for Northampton North Andrew Simpson said "Our congratulations go to all those who are successful in this year's A levels and who are looking forward to going to University.

But those starting this year will be the sixth round of students facing paying Labour's tuition fees and the sixth round of students facing rising debts because of them".

The Nat West Student Money Matters Survey released earlier this week shows that one in three graduates are living at home in order to save money. This comes on top on figures from UCAS that shows the number of 18-20 year olds in England applying for higher education has dropped by 5,500 this year and is failing to keep pace with demographic trends.

"This shows that tuition fees are putting off young people from going onto University" continued Andrew, himself a former student of Nene College (now UCN).

"Some students who perform well in this year's A levels will decide that the costs of going to university is too high.

With Labour's plans to introduce "top-up" fees seeing the average student debt rise to more than £21,000 - that will only put more students off going on to higher education".

Lib Dems locally are launching a petition to Tony Blair calling on the Government to halt plans to introduce "top-up" fees and follow the example set by the Lib Dems in Scotland by scrapping tuition fees and reintroducing grants.

"We must ensure that money is not a barrier to going to college or university and that talent and ability are recognised. Lib Dems will abolish tuition and "top-up" fees and reintroduce grants to do just that. Labour's tuition fees must go so that the class of 2003 becomes the last class to face such massive additional student debt" continued Andrew