Category: Tuition Fees

Cornwall, Cymru, England, Lib Dems, Northern Ireland, politics, Scotland, Tuition Fees, United Kingdom, Wales1 Comment

Amongst the shouting – there were good things in that vote too

M J P B McFarland Campbell
Shamed be he who thinks ill of it (shamed be w...
Her Majesty has more ministers responsible for Higher Education, than just those based in Whitehall. Image via Wikipedia

Motions inextricably linked

The debate on this motion in the House of Commons yesterday:

That the draft Higher Education (Basic Amount) (England) Regulations 2010, which were laid before this House on 29 November, be approved.

was inextricably linked to that on

That, for the purpose of section 24 of the Higher Education Act 2004, the higher amount should be increased to £9,000, and to £4,500 in the cases described in regulation 5 of the draft regulations in Command Paper Cm 7986, and that the increase should take effect from 1 September 2012.

However, whilst I do not agree with the trebling of fees for full-time undergraduates, as has been made clear in recent posts. As one who has been a part-time undergraduate the provisions on the inclusion of part-time students within the student loan system for the first time is one part of the Bill with which I can agree. Continue reading “Amongst the shouting – there were good things in that vote too”

Belfast, Blogging, Lib Dems, London, news, politics, Tuition Fees7 Comments

The 27 betrayed their Party – Shame on them!

M J P B McFarland Campbell
The Palace of Westminster at night as seen fro...
The Palace of Westminster wherein the 27 Rebel MPs betrayed their Party, led by Rebel Leader Nick Clegg MP Image via Wikipedia

On another Lib Dem blog we read that

Today’s tuition fee vote is a milestone for the Liberal Democrat party. It is the first time the party has had to seriously consider the wisdom of a policy designed for permanent opposition from the perspective of government. Continue reading “The 27 betrayed their Party – Shame on them!”

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Watch yourself Nick Clegg: the 104/103 haven’t done it – but I will!

M J P B McFarland Campbell
Nick Clegg's pledge on Tuition Fees - Void if elected
The Rt Hon. Nick Clegg, Deputy Prime Minister, lies to the Electorate.

With the vote in the House of Commons on Tuition Fees approaching later this week, it is clear that most of the Liberal Democrats MPs are not going to stick to the pledges that they made

TO VOTE AGAINST
ANY INCREASE IN FEES
in the next parliament
and to pressure the
government to introduce
A FAIRER ALTERNATIVE.

As Gareth Epps said on Sunday,

I have heard rumours of at least one resignation from the Government, and think it in the interests of the Party and of higher education as a whole if this happens.  Continue reading “Watch yourself Nick Clegg: the 104/103 haven’t done it – but I will!”

Lib Dems, Tuition Fees9 Comments

Nick Clegg MP: no confidence from party?

M J P B McFarland Campbell

Featured on Liberal Democrat Voice Candidates’ Petition to MPs On another blog I have highlighted the petition on tuition fees sent to the 57 Lib Dem MPs on tuition fees. In writing it, it struck me that we are getting to the stage that the public is ending up with no confidence in the party as a whole. Are we all as members losing confidence in the leadership of Nick Clegg? Nick Clegg made a pledge The photograph pictured here is just a simple reminder that Nick Clegg signed the pledge TO VOTE AGAINST ANY INCREASE IN FEES in the … Continue reading Nick Clegg MP: no confidence from party?

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Lib Dems, Tuition Fees1 Comment

Nick Clegg: funding of higher education unsustainable – not just the funding Nick

M J P B McFarland Campbell

Just received an email from The Rt Hon Nick Clegg MP, deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, about the tuition fees debacle. In it, he says Most of you will agree that the existing system of the funding of higher education is unsustainable I do agree with him that the existing system of funding higher education is unsustainable, but might we not look at the underlying reasons for this. There are way too many students in the country, studying for far too many degrees. Some students, like perhaps Andrew Croskery, a recent graduate of QUB seem to see a … Continue reading Nick Clegg: funding of higher education unsustainable – not just the funding Nick

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Lib Dems, politics, Tuition Fees1 Comment

Lib Dem MPs – remember your pledge – it’s OUR policy!

M J P B McFarland Campbell

I hope that all Lib Dem MPs will uphold their pledge. They must remember what our policy says: Liberal Democrats are the only party which believes university education should be free and everyone who has the ability should be able to go to university and not be put off by the cost.   Continue reading Lib Dem MPs – remember your pledge – it’s OUR policy!

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Lib Dems, politics, Tuition Fees1 Comment

Coalition Government minister still supports Scrap Tuition Fees campaign

M J P B McFarland Campbell

It is interesting to note that Sarah Teather MP, Minister of State for Children & Families is supporting the Scrap Tuition Fees campaign on her own website. I hope that she will continue to give her full support to this campaign when voting in the House of Commons on the Browne Report. Fair student finance is a campaign that has been near to my heart since I was a student at the University College of Ripon & York St John back in 1997 when I joined the Liberal Democrats during the general election campaign. As a member of LDYS I … Continue reading Coalition Government minister still supports Scrap Tuition Fees campaign

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Lib Dems against scrapping the cap! – another signature

M J P B McFarland Campbell

I have just joined the Lib Dems against scrapping the cap! group on Facebook. On the 12th of October 2010 Lord Browne published the findings of his review of Higher Education funding. The proposals include scrapping the current cap (meaning that some so called ‘elite degrees’ could cost £12,000 a year) and reducing funding for “less important” degrees. Although some of our MPs, such as Tim Farron, have come out and vowed that they will rebel against this, 2 of our key players have come out in support of Browne’s proposals – Nick Clegg and Vince Cable. It is time … Continue reading Lib Dems against scrapping the cap! – another signature

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