Vote for Students
The Votes for Students campaign was launched in February 2010 and designed to get reluctant politicians talking about education funding in the lead up to the last General Election. It succeeded and by the time of the election, 1500 candidates, in over 97% of constituencies, had signed the pledge to oppose any increase in tuition fees. Over 150 candidates that signed the pledge were elected into parliament including all of the Liberal Democrats who joined the Coalition Government with the Conservatives in May 2010.
Unlikely Coalition
The coalition agreement stated that both parties would wait until the release of the much anticipated Browne review before determining their position on fees; however the Liberal Democrats were given the option to abstain on a vote to increase fees if they felt they could not compromise on what has been one of their key policies for many years.
Immediately after the formation of the Coalition, NUS wrote a letter to Nick Clegg seeking clarification on their stance on tuition fees. NUS saw comfort as Liberal Democrat and Vote for Students Pledge signee Vince Cable was put in charge of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, which has responsibility for universities.
Tuition Fees in the Press
In June, Cable’s junior, David Willetts, the newly appointed Minister of State for Universities and Science, sparked debate in the press claiming that student debt is a burden on the tax payer. Liberal Democrat MPs Sir Menzies Campbell and Simon Hughes also appear in the media restating their opposition to higher fees.
Vince Cable publicly supports the notion of a graduate tax as proposed by NUS in July. Over 200,000 applicants miss out on a place at University as no additional places are created to relieve the previous years bottle-neck.
NUS Announces National Demonstration
On 4 August, NUS and UCU announce a national demonstration for November. Annual Conference 2010 debated and resolved to hold a national demo as part of NUS’ response to the political environment as it was clear that this year was crucial to the future of higher education; not just on how to fund higher education, but also how to protect the sector from severe cuts in the comprehensive spending review.
During the same month, the Office of Fair Access (OFFA) publishes its annual figures monitoring university performance which indicate that the system of regulating how universities spend income from top up fees is flawed. This research showed that those institutions with the poorest record of participation among the most disadvantaged students, profit most from their fees
The pressure to follow through with manifesto commitments starts to build on the Liberal Democrats. In September the Votes for Students pledge goes viral and pictures of Nick Clegg holding a signed pledge appear in national media. Ed Milliband is elected as Labour leader and at Liberal Democrat party conference a policy is passed in favour of supporting a graduate tax.
Browne Review Recommends Open Fees Market
In October, the Labour commissioned Browne review is released and recommends removing the cap on tuition fees altogether, leading to an open market and spiralling fees from many universities. Vince Cable u-turns on his support for a Graduate Tax and the potential clash over tuition fees within the coalition becomes a major point of interest in the media. NUS publishes it’s response to the Browne Review and students across the UK start begin to protests. A Sun/YouGov indicates a lack of public support for an increase in fees and the approval for the coalition government falls from +4 to -7.
Comprehensive Spending Review Shows Bleak Times for Education
Shortly after the Browne Review is published, the Coalition announce the Comprehensive Spending Review which details large cuts to Higher Education funding, cuts to support for Further Education, reductions in the teaching budget and most controversially the proposed abolition of Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA).
Students Take to the Streets
In November, the Government respond to the Browne Review with a number of proposals for education funding, including a trebling of the fee cap to £9000. Days later over 50,000 people march past parliament to show their disgust at the scrapping of EMA, rise in tuition fees and impending Liberal Democrat betrayal. David Willetts then indicates that a vote will be taken solely on the increase of tuition fees before Christmas and the wider plans for the shake up of the sector will be presented in a White Paper towards the end of 2010. The closure of AimHigher scheme to widen access for low-income students is also announced.
MPs Vote for Higher Fees
The date of the vote to increase tuition fees is set for Thursday 9 December and NUS announces a national day of action on Wednesday 8 December, followed by a national lobby of parliament on the day of the vote. Vince Cable and other senior Liberal Democrats cement their u-turn by publically admitting they will be voting in favour of the increase in fees.
After increased pressure from the public and wavering Liberal Democrat MPs, the Government announce concessions to the proposals just days before the vote, which will be seen in the White Paper, introducing student loans for first degrees for part-time students and increasing the repayment threshold to £21,000 a year with subsequent annual increases.
MPs vote in favour of the tuition fee increase, leading to a number of Liberal Democrat resignations, underlining the split within the Coalition and within the Liberal Democrats. NUS launches the ‘Right to Recall’ campaign, asking that any MPs that are elected on a manifesto can be recalled by constituents.
SaveEMA
Shortly after the vote on fees, it is announced that there will be a second vote in Parliament in January on the abolition of EMA. Working with the SaveEMA campaign, NUS announce a national day of action in mid-December and a lobby to save EMA on the day of the vote. EMA is abolished and on 1st January closes to new applicants. The Government announce plans for a new scheme to replace EMA, however it is a paltry amount in comparison to EMA and less evenly distributed.
The Campaign in 2011
In January, NUS join UCU and TUC in Manchester to demonstrate against the cuts, the abolition of EMA and to rally for ‘A Future that Works’.
February sees the first universities to announce their intention to move to fees of £9000 immediately that they are permitted to do so. In March, NUS joins 500,000 protesters for a TUC-led anti-cuts demonstration in central London.
Contrary to Government statements most universities have announced their intention to charge the full £9,000 and in response April and May see an increasingly desperate Government announce, and then drop, a series of policies designed to reduce the cost of the rise in fees and cover up mistakes in the previous rushed policy making.
The Government have also begun consultation with students about the distribution of what funds are available through the replacement to EMA.
After several delays the White Paper setting out how this market-based university system will operate is expected in June 2011 before the Parliamentary recess in July, six months later than originally promised.
Keep up-to-date
Despite losing the vote in Parliament the work goes on to ensure that access to higher education is not the preserve of the rich. Show your support for the campaign by signing up for campaign updates here.
You can also check out our summary of the changes that have already been made to education funding.