"NEW STUDENT FEES BILL MUST BE STOPPED", SAY LIB DEMS

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Sun 26th Oct 2003

Commenting on the publication of the Government's Bill to introduce top-up fees for students, Leeds North West Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesperson Greg Mulholland said:

The Government are trying to make access to higher education dependent on the ability to pay, when it should be on the ability to learn. These plans are likely to mean that many of our brightest local students would no longer be able to afford a university education. It makes a mockery of the Government's claim to be widening opportunities."

"Rather than placing the burden on students starting out in life - many of whom will be taking up socially very valuable, but relatively poorly paid, jobs such as teachers and junior NHS staff - we should ask those earning super salaries to pay a little more through a 50p tax rate on their earnings over ?100,000 each year. This would raise enough to scrap all tuition fees and reintroduce grants of up to ?2000 for students from low income backgrounds, as well scrapping charges for long-term care for the elderly and cutting council tax. Surely this would be a fairer way forward?"

Greg Mulholland is calling on Leeds Labour MPs to join Liberal Democrat MPs in opposing the Government's plans in Parliament: "Whatever concessions the Government claim they are making, top-up fees are wrong in principle and cannot be made right by any amount of fiddling around the edges. Labour were elected in 2001 on a manifesto pledge not to introduce top-up fees. If the MPs now vote for them they will be breaking a clear election promise made to the people of Leeds."

The Lib Dems are working with Leeds Against Fees to campaign against top-up fees in the city and Lib Dem Councillor Ralph Pryke (Burmantofts) is proposing a White Paper at next week's full Council meeting calling on Leeds City Council to oppose the bill and with support from all the opposition parties it will only take a few Labour rebels to inflict an embarrassing defeat.

Sign the petition against tuition and top-up fees at www.scraptuitionfees.com.

For more information on the Leeds v Fees campaign, go to www.luuonline.com/leedsagainstfees.

The Leeds University Liberal Democrat group can be contacted at leedsunilibdems@yahoo.co.uk.