Dear Progress
When the student finance review was first announced at 2001 Labour Party conference, like many I thought that this was a positive step to put right the problems of student fees. When the idea of increasing fees and top-up fees seemed to become the government’s favoured solution, I was utterly dismayed. Tuition fees do discourage people from going to university. Out of the students charged the full fee, 20 percent pay it themselves – that’s not right. There is no provision if parents do not pay the fees. Students should be listened to – we are stakeholders in higher education, not merely consumers.
Alon Or-bach, chair, London Young Labour
Dear Progress
The recent debate around student funding has been conducted wrongly. By concentrating the debate purely around the issue of top-up fees, both government and student leaders seem to have missed the major barrier to students from poorer backgrounds going on to higher education. This is the sheer lack of any serious government funding towards students’ living costs, which is also overwhelmingly responsible for students dropping out once at university.
If the debate continues in the way it has done so far, then sadly our Labour government will continue to fail to make any major inroads in getting more students from working-class backgrounds to university. What the government needs is some radical proposals like the ones adopted in Scotland, such as reintroducing grants for the poorest students. It only beggars belief why the government is wasting taxpayer’s money on a new review when the answers are staring them starkly in the face across the border in Scotland.
Natalie Turner, York
Dear Progress
If the government fails to support the recent Lords bill proposing to lower the voting age to sixteen, it will miss a real opportunity to show that politicians treat the views of young people seriously. With the introduction of compulsory citizenship education, lowering the voting age would guarantee a seamless transition from education to entitlement. It would also bring consistency to the civil rights sixteen year-olds already exercise, such as the right to join the armed forces, get married, take up full employment and leave home. With 62.8 percent of young people in favour of lowering the voting age, Labour would be foolish not to lead the campaign for change.
Jessica Asato, London
Dear Progress
I welcome Barbara Roche’s announcement that the government will be bringing forward proposals next summer for the introduction of partnership rights for gay and lesbian couples.
Some have argued that the proposals will not go far enough and that rights should also be granted to unmarried heterosexual couples. Whilst these arguments are valid, we should not underestimate the level of opposition any proposed change in the law is likely to receive, and the ability of the Christian right to hijack these issues in the House of Lords. So far the government’s plans have won cross-party support and succeeded in marginalising opposition voices. Party members should get behind these proposals and support the government in helping to deliver an equality agenda for the 21st century.
Jean Drew, Greater Manchester
Dear Progress
I am amazed that the Mayor of London continues to have the support of leftwingers within the party when he’s about to bring in a massively regressive tax in the form of congestion charging. This is, as Roy Hattersley recently suggested, a poll tax on wheels. Those unable to pay will be forced onto already over-crowded and shoddy public transport services, while the well-to-do will hardly notice the fiver a day Ken is charging. I hope our candidate will see this as an excellent issue on which to campaign for a Labour victory in the mayoral election.
Stephen Yates, London
Letters should be 100 – 200 words, and may be edited for space