Top Up Fees Rebellion Due

Bath's MP, Don Foster, will today join his Liberal Democrat colleagues in Parliament in calling for the plans for Top-Up Fees to be abandoned - thereby keeping Labour MPs to their manifesto promise not to introduce top up fees, which could see students charged up to £3,000 a year from September 2006.

The 2001 Labour Manifesto stated: 'We will not introduce top up fees and have legislated to prevent them.' 221 MPs, including 139 Labour MPs, have previously declared their opposition to top up fees in Parliamentary Motions (EDMs).

Commenting on the Liberal Democrat Motion to be tabled in an Opposition Day Debate today, Don said,

"Tony Blair could have a real rebellion on his hands today. His much touted commitment to 'education, education, education' is for many students a frightening personal commitment to debt, debt, debt."

"By introducing top up fees the Government has slashed the already limited chance young people from our most disadvantaged backgrounds have of going to university.

"The Government's own evidence shows that fear of debt is preventing many young people from going to university, while genuine debt is causing many students to drop out of their studies.

"Investing in our young people means investing in Britain's future. The Liberal Democrats would scrap unfair tuition and top up fees and restore a £2000 annual maintenance grants for our poorest students.

"The Conservatives' pledge to remove student tuition fees was little more than an empty gesture. The logic of their costings has been questioned by the House of Commons Library. After six years in opposition the Conservatives have yet to put forward a coherent, financially viable proposal for any part of our education system.

ENDS

This article published: 23/06/2023

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