Election 2019 – Student Tuition Fees

by Politicker

Student tuition fees are a favourite for Politicians when it comes to General Elections and are used to attract student votes however, it is not always as it seems …

Fees are set by the current Government; England and Wales, have the second highest University tuition fees in the developed world. Within the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) group of nations, only the US has higher fees.

In England and Wales, universities can charge up to £9250 per year for an undergraduate degree and most universities charge the full amount. Scotland has no fees, for Scottish students.

Where do political parties stand on student tuition fees ? It usually depends on whether the party is interested in attracting the student vote, or does it depend on which way the wind’s blowing?

The Labour party actually implemented tuition fees in the first place and here is the history of tuition fees from the beginning in 1997.

  • 1997 – Pre election, Labour policy is no tuition fees
  • 1997 – Labour win the election and … introduce tuition fees in 1998
  • 2001 – Pre election, Labour promises not to raise tuition fees
  • 2001 – Labour won
  • 2003 – Plans announced to increase fees to £3000
  • 2005 – Labour won General Election
  • 2006 – Fees increased to £3000
  • 2009 – Fees increased to 3290
  • 2010 – Pre election, Lib Dems – pledge to abolish tuition fees
  • 2010 – Tories and Lib Dems form coalition government
  • 2010 – Lib Dems abandon policy and support proposal to increase fees to £9000
  • 2015 – Tories win General Election and change repayment terms of student loans
  • 2016 – Tories raise fees to £9250
  • 2017 – Pre Election, Labour policy is to scrap fees altogether
  • 2017 – Tory party win General Election
  • 2017 – Tory party freeze fees at £9250 and tinker with repayment terms

    • and currently

  • 2019 – Pre election, Tory proposal to reduce fees to £7500 abandoned
  • 2019 – Pre election, Labour policy to scrap tuition fees and restore maintenance grants for disadvantaged students
  • 2019 – Pre election, Liberal Democrats :”The idea that we can have zero tuition fees is a fantasy.”

    • The moral of this story is

    ‘Beware of Politicians bearing gifts‘ it may not be all that it seems !!