Bob Russell MP makes pledge to voters on student fees
November 11, 2009 12:00 AM
Bob Russell MP with NUS representative holding his pledge card
MP for Colchester Bob Russell today signed a pledge to voters ahead of the forthcoming General Election that he will vote against any increase in fees in the next Parliament.
Mr Russell signed the pledge at a National Union of Students (NUS) event in the House of Commons. Hundreds of students from across the country, including representatives from the University of Essex, descended on Parliament to argue for a fair alternative to fees which will not price out poorer students.
On Monday, the Government announced the start of the long-awaited review of university funding which will look at the impact of 2004's introduction of £3,000 'top-up fees' and will report after the next general election.
Today's NUS pledge reads:
"We will vote against any increase in fees in the next parliament, and we will put pressure on the Government to introduce a fairer alternative to variable top-up fees"
Mr Russell, who was previously Publicity Officer for the University of Essex, said: "Our country depends on high quality education. Placing financial constraints on aspiring students is not in the national interest."
NUS President Wes Streeting said:
"The vast majority of the general public is against higher fees, and although this review has been set up to report after the general election, voters deserve to know where their MP stands on this highly emotive issue.
"I am delighted that Bob Russell has stood up for students and young people in Colchester by signing this pledge. He has demonstrated his determination to give every young person in Colchester a fair chance to go to university.
"NUS believes that a university education should be free at the point of use, with graduates giving back to the system according to how much they earn. This would give universities double the amount of funding they currently receive, while allowing the children of poorer families to go to university without the fear of debt. It would also prevent the emergence of a market in higher education, where only the rich could afford to attend our most prestigious universities."
On Sunday, a YouGov poll commissioned by pressure group Compass revealed that only 12% of the public think the review should even consider increasing fees, while a majority believes that it should look at alternatives to fees.
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