Umunna calls for abolition of student fees
Chuka Umunna, Labour’s parliamentary candidate for Streatham, has joined forces with the National Union of Students to call for an end to fees for university students.
Mr Umunna outlined his position against top-up fees at a Labour Party conference fringe event on higher education organised by the National Union of Students (NUS) and Million+, a group representing universities.
Top-up fees were introduced in 2006, and allow universities to charge up to £3,225 a year for university courses. However, almost all universities charge the maximum annual fee, and the current system has been accused of discouraging poorer students from going to university.
The government is launching a review of student funding looking into a range of options for the future, which is due to report next year.
Mr Umunna has given his backing to alterative proposals for a graduate tax, proposed by the NUS. These would see graduates contributing according to the benefit they obtain from their time at university, with payment being linked to earnings once an individual earns over an income threshold of £15,000 per year.
The NUS argue that the proposals would generate more funding than the current fees system, allowing more university places and increased financial support for poorer students.
In Streatham, the number of people going to university has increased by 81% since 1997. Mr Umunna hopes that the additional funding would mean this figure continues to rise.
Commenting on his opposition to fees, Umunna said:
“The current system of student fees is damaging because the prospect of debt puts too many people off higher education. Navigating the current funding system is also fiendishly complicated for students and their parents.
“Given the advantages that a university education gives graduates, it is right that students should contribute towards the cost of going to university. A graduate tax linked closely to earnings is the simplest and fairest way of achieving this.”
Wes Streeting, President of the NUS, who was also on the panel at the
conference fringe event, said:
“NUS is delighted to receive Chuka’s backing on the number one issue facing students ahead of the next general election. With a review of the current tuition fees system due to be announced within a matter of weeks, this intervention could not have come at a better time.
“Students entering university this autumn are set to graduate with average debts of £23,500. With pressure building from university leaders to hike up fees even further, students will need champions like Chuka to fight their corner in Parliament after the general election next year.”
In September the Lib Dems abandoned their commitment to abolishing top-up fees at their conference in Bournemouth, with leader Nick Clegg announcing that the policy was no longer a priority.
