Tories and Student Fees

Written by Steve Sollitt on Mon 28th Mar 2005

Dear Sirs

I read with interest the "in my view" article from the Tory Parliamentary Spokesman for Southampton Test about the issue of Student Fees

He indeed was a lucky student, being given a grant to attend university. The situation that now exists of student loans and fees is totally unacceptable.

He does, in his piece, omit the fact that the Tories will also allow students to have larger loans at commercial rates, thus leading to larger student debt, as a way of funding his party's proposals. Overall Tory policies could well end up reducing access to further education.

The Liberal Democrats on the other hand would scrap students and top up fees, as we have successfully done in Scotland, and re introduce grants of up to £2000 for poorer students. We would also cap student rate interest at only inflation.

As a graduate myself, but one who studied part time with the Open University to achieve my qualification, I also welcome our commitment to treat full and part time students the same. I had to pay to study part time, with no support from grants. I welcome moves that would allow more students to study.

We have this commitment within our costed plans so to say we have not said how this would be paid for is not true.

Perhaps it's also worth remembering that more students than ever see the Liberal Democrats as the party they support on this issue. I am afraid the appalling record of the Tories in the 1990s on education is something I remember all too well!

Steve Sollitt

Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesperson

Southampton Test