Student tuition fees should be scrapped not increased says local Lib Dem (Andrew Simpson)

Student tuition fees should be scrapped not increased says local Lib Dem

March 17, 2009 1:00 PM

Following a BBC poll of University Vice-Chancellors that found that two-thirds want to increase student tuition fees Lib Dem Parliamentary Candidate for Northampton North, and former Nene College (now University of Northampton) student union President, Cllr Andrew Simpson has repeated calls for the fees to be scrapped

"It is completely wrong in a recession for the Universities to be calling for an increase in fees for students" said Andrew.

"The average debt of a student graduating is calculated at being around £17,000 and it now seems that the approach is simply to pile more debt on regardless of the long term consequences. Whatever people say raising fees to £5,000 will put off people from going on to study"

Liberal Democrats re-affirmed their commitment to scrap student tuition and top-up fees at their recent conference in Harrogate at the beginning of March.

"Tony Blair originally said Labour had no plans to introduce University fees - and then they did. In Scotland they have been scrapped and now they need to be in England too".

ENDS

Notes to Editors

Details of BBC poll at

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7946912.stm

Details of student debt at:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2009/mar/17/university-tuition-fees-rise