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| Jeremy Corbyn: Scrap tuition fees and give students grants again, says Labour leadership contender | |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| University education should be free and students should be supported by grants, a contender for the Labour leadership has said. | University education should be free and students should be supported by grants, a contender for the Labour leadership has said. |
| Jeremy Corbyn said the abolition of tuition fees should be funded through a higher rate of national insurance on the highest earners and by bringing Britain’s anaemic rate of corporation tax up from 20 per cent to to 20.5 per cent. | Jeremy Corbyn said the abolition of tuition fees should be funded through a higher rate of national insurance on the highest earners and by bringing Britain’s anaemic rate of corporation tax up from 20 per cent to to 20.5 per cent. |
| Mr Corbyn’s proposal is a rejection of Labour’s legacy of supporting tuition fees, which the party introduced at £1,000 in 1999. It then trebled the fees to £3,000. The 2010 Coalition government then trebled them again £9,000. | Mr Corbyn’s proposal is a rejection of Labour’s legacy of supporting tuition fees, which the party introduced at £1,000 in 1999. It then trebled the fees to £3,000. The 2010 Coalition government then trebled them again £9,000. |
| The current Conservative majority government also abolished the remaining assistance grants for low income students in its first Budget, delivered this month. | The current Conservative majority government also abolished the remaining assistance grants for low income students in its first Budget, delivered this month. |
| “Education is not about personal advancement but is a collective good that benefits our society and our economy,” Mr Corbyn said. | “Education is not about personal advancement but is a collective good that benefits our society and our economy,” Mr Corbyn said. |
| "I want to apologise on behalf of the Labour Party to the last generation of students for the imposition of fees, top-up fees and the replacement of grants with loans by previous Labour governments. I opposed those changes at the time - as did many others - and now we have an opportunity to change course. | "I want to apologise on behalf of the Labour Party to the last generation of students for the imposition of fees, top-up fees and the replacement of grants with loans by previous Labour governments. I opposed those changes at the time - as did many others - and now we have an opportunity to change course. |
| The four contenders (clockwise from top left): Jeremy Corbyn, Liz Kendall, Andy Burnham and Yvette Cooper (Rex) “There are no student fees in Scotland, Germany and twelve other European countries, I want to bring all UK students into line with that sensible approach.” | The four contenders (clockwise from top left): Jeremy Corbyn, Liz Kendall, Andy Burnham and Yvette Cooper (Rex) “There are no student fees in Scotland, Germany and twelve other European countries, I want to bring all UK students into line with that sensible approach.” |
| Mr Corbyn’s policy was welcomed by the lecturers’ union UCU. Sally Hunt, its general secretary, said business benefited from higher education and should make a contribution towards it. | Mr Corbyn’s policy was welcomed by the lecturers’ union UCU. Sally Hunt, its general secretary, said business benefited from higher education and should make a contribution towards it. |
| “Since [the Dearing Report] we have seen students hit with increasing fees and the state continue to provide support. Business has paid virtually nothing,” she argued. | “Since [the Dearing Report] we have seen students hit with increasing fees and the state continue to provide support. Business has paid virtually nothing,” she argued. |
| “We have the lowest corporation tax rate in the G20 and we believe a rise in corporation tax, with the money ring-fenced for our universities, is the fairest way for business to pay its share. | “We have the lowest corporation tax rate in the G20 and we believe a rise in corporation tax, with the money ring-fenced for our universities, is the fairest way for business to pay its share. |
| “We are pleased that one of the Labour leadership candidates is prepared to finally start the debate within the party about a fairer policy for higher education funding. We won’t be the only ones keen to hear what the others would do.” | “We are pleased that one of the Labour leadership candidates is prepared to finally start the debate within the party about a fairer policy for higher education funding. We won’t be the only ones keen to hear what the others would do.” |
| The UK’s corporation tax rate is currently the joint lowest in the G20 group of industrialised countries – the Government has said it will cut it further to 12 per cent by 2020. | The UK’s corporation tax rate is currently the joint lowest in the G20 group of industrialised countries – the Government has said it will cut it further to 12 per cent by 2020. |
| The corporation tax rate in the United States is 40 per cent, Germany’s is 30 per cent and Japan’s is 33 per cent. | The corporation tax rate in the United States is 40 per cent, Germany’s is 30 per cent and Japan’s is 33 per cent. |
| The National Union of Students said it did not comment on party political matters. | The National Union of Students said it did not comment on party political matters. |
| The union has an official policy in favour of free education, however. NUS vice president for welfare Shelly Asquith is also leading Mr Corbyn’s student campaign in a personal capacity. | The union has an official policy in favour of free education, however. NUS vice president for welfare Shelly Asquith is also leading Mr Corbyn’s student campaign in a personal capacity. |
| Mr Corbyn is one of four candidates for the Labour leadership elections, the others being Andy Burnham, Liz Kendall, and Yvette Cooper. | Mr Corbyn is one of four candidates for the Labour leadership elections, the others being Andy Burnham, Liz Kendall, and Yvette Cooper. |
| Ms Kendall said at the start of her campaign that she would abandon a pledged adopted by Labour under Ed Miliband to cut the fees from £9,000 to £6,000. | Ms Kendall said at the start of her campaign that she would abandon a pledged adopted by Labour under Ed Miliband to cut the fees from £9,000 to £6,000. |