Labour's tuition fees review panel is dominated by big business and vice chancellors (Newcastle upon Tyne Liberal Democrats)

Newcastle upon Tyne Liberal Democrats <info@newcastle-libdems.org.uk>

Labour's tuition fees review panel is dominated by big business and vice chancellors

November 9, 2009 3:40 PM
Originally published by Greg Stone

The Government's tuition fees review panel has been named today and will be chaired by former BP boss Lord Browne, together with prominent vice chancellors and business people. The only student voice on the panel is a former student who is now a Labour party apparatchik.

Greg Stone, Lib Dem parliamentary spokesman for Newcastle East, said "It is universally anticipated that this review is simply a device for postponing the inevitable whacking great rise in tuition fees until after the General Election. The Conservatives are already calling for fees to increase to around £7000 per year, and there is a widespread view that the Labour government would secretly like to match this.

"I am disappointed but not surprised by the fact that the only student voice on the panel has a history of Labour party activism. It says a great deal that the Government's panel is stuffed with heavyweight business and economics figures, and no place for an independent voice from the student community or a representative of those families who are struggling to pay the existing levels of tuition fees and student debt"

"Students need to be very cautious about this review panel, as it is very difficult to see it reaching any conclusion other than a big increase in fees, conveniently timed to report back after the next General Election. The Lib Dems are determined to make tuition fees an election issue; Labour and the Tories are colluding in covering this issue up before the election."

The NUS president Wes Streeting said "Politicians should remember the student backlash in 2004 that almost brought Blair's government down and saw many pro-fees MP's lose their seats subsequently. There will be an even greater backlash if the review proposes plunging students into greater debt."