I begin this piece with some unwelcome news. The Manchester Evening News has revealed that university applications for Manchester University, the UK’s largest university, has seen an overall drop of 16 per cent, with figures from UCAS showing a fall of 14 per cent. The timing of the drop in admissions comes as no surprise considering that universities are preparing to treble fees for their courses beginning in September 2012.
To a young person like me, these figures, in addition to youth unemployment reaching record levels, the slashing of EMA, the slashing of youth services, all as part of this government’s ideological butchery of the state finances, can’t help but create a depressing picture of the future. To a young person like me, nothing is offered to us by this government – quite the opposite, we are being attacked; everything has been taken from us even our hope in a better future. We have been well and truly abandoned by this coalition and the sting of betrayal still stings. At uni, everyone who knows me and my political affiliation with some nicknaming me ‘Red Ant’ come up to me denouncing this government peppered with colourful words not suitable to be said in public.
Well, at this I have three sensations- 1) like any Labour supporter I like any bashing of this government and some of the imagery used does quite make me laugh. However the second sensation is one of anger and utter despondency. Despondency at people fearing for their future, stating that if £9000 fees were in place when they applied, they wouldn’t have applied and quite frankly wouldn’t have a plan for their future. Despondency at what they see as a government that has abandoned them thinks of them as having no worth with actions speaking far louder than words ever could. However the third sensation is one of hope, a distant flickering optimism. These people WISH to serve, they wish to contribute to society, so therein lies a solution.
I think we as a party should propose a re-engagement with young people with a number of points in mind:
1) Continue to pledge to find a fairer way of funding university education than rebelling the fees as the coalition has done, possibly by a graduate tax as Ed Miliband earlier indicated.
2) Propose a way of creating new jobs for young people, increasing the number of apprenticeships in order to attempt to tackle youth unemployment, and also give an element of choice and a prospect of a better future.
3) Back lowering the voting age to 16. As Stephen Twigg observes in The Purple book, ‘despite paying tax and engaging in a whole range of adult activities’ such as serving their country in the army, these people have no political power. To me this seems perverse that they can serve and potentially die for their nation yet don’t have a say in its destiny.
What these points, especially point three, amount to is a methodology to reinject a sense of worth for young people, instead of an almost demonisation and rejection that this government seems determined to plough on with. I don’t claim to have all the answers. However, I like to think that as a young person who is experiencing and witnessing those I love experience everything this coalition is determined to throw at us, I have provided something to discuss. I hope Labour, with the help of Labour Students and the Young Labour movement can help give back young people a sense of belonging, self-worth, self-respect. A sense of truly being the future of this nation.
—————————————————————————————
Anthony Parker is a member of Progress, tweets @anthillel and and blogs here
—————————————————————————————
Anthony, I praise you for the determination you demonstrate to have your views (and those of your contempories) expressed and heard by our political representatives. I agree with most of your observations (the iniquity of high tuition fees, the provision of apprenticeships and employment for our youth and the necessity to give school and university leavers hope for the future). In an atmosphere of academic neutrality and objectivity I ask you to consider the following:
1) concerning tuition fees – I am old enough and fortunate enough to have ALL my uni. fees (tuition, accomodation etc.) paid by the State. I strongly believe that higher education should be a right for all AND free at the point of use (alla NHS). Tony Blair laudibly pursued a policy of expanding under-graduate rates to a staggering 50%. Great! but the inevitable consequence was a substantial increase in State funding. No probs for a country awash with money but problematic when the ‘bread basket’ is limited. Blair’s solution was to offload part of the financial burden to the ‘customer’. A ‘sell-out’ or a ‘fair solution’ is for you to decide but it raises the question “what is the most appropriate ratio of State funding to student numbers”? Personally, I think Tony Blair should have been more modest in the expansion of uni. places so as to protect 100% State funding. An unfortunate consequence of Blair’s ‘compromise’ is that this coalition government is transferring a greater financial burden onto students. Further, I believe their aim is to radically reduce uni. numbers (and the consequential costs for the State) to such a low level that they will be able to re-introduce free tuition (as in Scotland). Whatever your views on uni. funding, Anthony, NEVER allow your ideals to be compromised by practicality – that is the refuge of weak politicians. If it is ‘fair’ for uni. students to contribute to their tuition because it is “an individual choice made after compulsory education” then why shouldn’t students be obliged to contribute to their ‘A’ Level education?
2) concerning provision of apprenticeships etc. – a truly free market economy would expose youth employment opportunities to the vagaries of the market place (precisely the stance of George Osborne etc.) but would a more socialist government put the safety and wellbeing of its citizens ahead of global financial markets? We all know which side the coalition is on. The question is, which side is Ed Miliband on?
3) concerning voting rights – I agree with the premiss of “no taxation without representation” therefore anyone who contributes tax to the State should have the voting franchise. The contrary argument is “no tax, no representation” which gives no favours to many ‘A’ Level and uni. students!
ps One word of advice: treat all claims by politicians and journalists with utmost scepticism. Always question their assertions and opinions even if they appear to reflect your own views. You might therefore question your acceptance of the views of twit Twigg!
Tution fees etc are quite separate from voting rights. It coudl be in fact argued that those who rely on the state for student loans should not be able to vote until they have repaid the loans. I am not actually arguing that.
Voting at 16 is a completely arbitrary age. So a sixteenyear old will be able to vote but not sign a contract or marry without parental consent.
The fact is that political consciousness is eroding very fast among the young.
Lowerign the voting age is a very trendy but foolish proposal. It smacks of desperation.