Don't penalise less well-off says Blunkett

John Roberts

THE Yorkshire MP who introduced university tuition fees more than 10 years ago believes the reforms being called for in the Browne Review would distort the system in favour of the better-off.

David Blunkett, Labour’s Sheffield Brightside MP and former Education and Employment Secretary, said that introducing a higher rate of interest on student debt will penalise school leavers from poorer backgrounds.

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He said: “It is my strong belief that reverting to a real rate of interest transforms the student finance system into a market-driven approach which will distort what is available by allowing the better-off to access more favourable terms – for example, by re-mortgaging their property or arranging for beneficial terms outside the student loan framework.

“I fear that, coupled with the draconian cuts in this country’s investment in the knowledge economy to be announced by George Osborne next week, we are burning the seed corn of Britain’s future.”