No policy has produced more anger recently than the government's decision to dramatically increase university tuition fees.
No-one has been the subject of more anger than the Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg.
Today the deputy prime minister agreed to come face to face with students who the BBC had chosen and who come from homes around the country. They accused him of breaking his word, of not understanding the fear of debt and of creating an unhealthy market for education.
He revealed his fear that many young people are being put off university by their fear of what they might owe when, in fact, he claims the government's plans would ensure that university is affordable for the poorest.
The confrontation came on the eve of the government publishing proposals for a National Scholarship Programme to subsidise students from the poorest backgrounds attending English universities. It is clear that ministers have all but abandoned their plans to promise two full years free for students on free school meals and chosen instead to allow universities to choose how they spend the money the government has pledged.
You can watch the debate in full on the BBC News Channel at 7.30pm.
PS. Here's what Nick Clegg had to say to the students on the subject of Oxbridge fees.
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/nickrobinson/2011/02/clegg_faces_the.html
political parties political candidates political memorabilia politic processor politic real clear politics polls
No comments:
Post a Comment