For immediate release
Former Education Secretary, Rt Hon David Blunkett MP, has responded to the review by Lord Browne of higher education funding, saying that the Liberal Democrats are guilty of a “betrayal” and that the Browne reforms would “distort” the system in favour of the better-off.
Mr Blunkett, who as Education and Employment Secretary in Tony Blair’s first government began the process of reforming university funding, said: “This is a complete betrayal by the Liberal Democrats of everything that they have ever said on higher education and of the platform they stood on at the General Election.
“The Tories have already performed a volte-face on their previous policy. This leaves only the Labour Party with any credibility on student funding and the future of our great universities.”
Mr Blunkett recalled: “In 1997, I had the challenge of picking up the report from Lord Dearing and reshaping his recommendations to cover the introduction of tuition fees for the better-off and repayable loans that made it possible for students of all backgrounds to access higher education.
“I lifted the cap on places and reversed the eight-year reduction in funding which amounted to a 40% cut in spend per student under the Conservatives.
“This was based on income – and whilst wealthier families paid upfront, the immediate improvement in university funding transformed the life chances of hundreds of thousands of young people over the subsequent 12 years.
“The changes brought in by Charles Clarke and Alan Johnson refined the system, so that students, rather than families, were responsible for payments down the line.
“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. These moves are not available to less well-off students and their families.”
Mr Blunkett launched a sharp attack on the coalition government, saying: “So much for fairness, social mobility and equality of opportunity.
“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.
“This is a short-sighted, unimaginative and short-term government with the vision of a bat and the antennae of a mollusc.”
ENDS
