David Ward: Labour’s shameful campaign of lies over true cost of tuition

Facing us was Lord Browne, the person asked by the former Labour Government to look at the funding of higher education and then representatives from various leading university groups.

I asked Lord Browne why new arrangements for tuition fees was so unpopular when they were clearly more affordable than the present system.

In response, he said he did not know how to answer the question and confirmed that 60 per cent of students would be better off than under the present system – it would be those on low to average incomes that would benefit most.

The message from Lord Browne and indeed all the witnesses was consistent and strong – those who are responsible for what Professor Michael Arthur, Vice-Chancellor of Leeds University described as “scaremongering”, need to start telling the truth about the new tuition fees policy.

The Labour Party – who introduced and then increased tuition fees despite pre-election promises – and the Conservatives both agree with tuition fees and any Liberal Democrat attempts to thwart increases would have been hopeless.

Faced with this situation and a national deficit increasing at the rate of £400m a day on which we were paying £120m a day in interest, it was left to Vince Cable to do the best he could for future students while finding a sustainable way of funding higher education.

The alternative to transferring much of the cost of higher education to the main beneficiaries – graduates – would have been large cuts in student places (we have actually increased places by 10,000), even more cuts in public spending than we are having to make, increasing taxes even more than we are having to do or borrowing even more money.

If Labour or the Tories had formed a majority government at the last election, they would have had to increase tuition fees – at least the Tories are honest enough to admit it.

The Labour Party’s behaviour has been despicable and they continue to lie about the new tuition fees policy.

Hysterical comments about parents being unable to afford to send their son or daughter to university because fees have nearly trebled ignore a fact that Labour knows to be the truth – no parent will have to pay a single penny towards tuition fees because not a penny will need to be paid until a student graduates.

For the first time ever, part-time students will also not have to pay anything until they complete their studies. After a course has finished, a graduate will still not have to pay a single penny until they earn £21,000.

After that, they will only pay £7.50 per month (yes you read that right) for every £1,000 they earn over £21,000.

If at any point income falls below £21,000 (maternity leave, unemployment, etc) no payment will be required.

Because of this high threshold, all graduates – whatever the level of their outstanding loan – will pay £45 per month less than they would under the present system.

But what about the actual cost of studying? Maintenance loans and maintenance grants are both being increased.

But what about students from really low-income families? For those on free school meals, there are no tuition fees for the first year.

But what about the “massive” debt that students will have on completing their studies? The amount of the loan is completely irrelevant when calculating monthly repayments which will be based upon income and not the outstanding loan. After 30 years – and don’t forget some graduates by this time because of personal circumstances may have paid absolutely nothing towards their outstanding loan – any outstanding debt is completely written off.

The Labour Party, in particular, is engaged in a shameful campaign to frighten young people by telling them they will not be able to afford to go to university when they really know that to be untrue.

Students from low-income families and low income graduates will be the main beneficiaries of the new system – there was a time when the old Labour Party claimed to represent people like this but they now seek to use fear to put them off considering attending university.

Labour seeks to capture the votes of frightened would-be students at the cost of those young people not going to university through that groundless fear.

Lord Browne made a vital and telling point.

When asked about the advice being given to would-be students, he said that it should be with the best information “through someone advising you who does not have any other interest other than your own at her or his heart” – Labour politicians need to dwell upon these words.