Link to this page: http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/514/3572
From The Socialist newspaper, 13 December 2007
Leicester: debate on tuition fees
LEICESTER UNIVERSITY students union held a panel debate on the subject of tuition fees, instigated by campaigns and involvement officer Alex Smith, who also runs the union's campaign to keep the top-up fees capped at £3,000 a year.
Vicky Cowell, Leicester University Socialist Students
Socialist Students national organiser Matt Dobson was invited to speak at the debate, alongside a professor of free-market economics, Gianni De Fraja, the NUS national secretary, Stephen Brown, and Leicester's vice-chancellor, Bob Burgess.
Stephen Brown said he believed in free education but we must be "realistic" and concentrate on keeping the cap. Far from voicing the concerns of students, who are increasingly forced into poverty, debt, high rents and insecure, low-paid jobs, he seemed more interested in not getting laughed at by politicians should he choose to lobby them.
The Socialist Students speaker was prominently publicised. This is because we are recognised as the most consistent fighters against fees both nationally and at Leicester University as, in contrast to the NUS leadership, we put forward a fighting position.
In front of 40 students Matt argued that education should and could be free, that grants should be provided for all students and that the NUS should actively campaign for the scrapping of all tuition fees.
If the government can bail out Northern Rock and can afford wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, why can it not afford free education? The crux of the matter is not what the government can afford, but whose interests it represents.
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In The Socialist 13 December 2007:
Scotland
Defend Tommy Sheridan: End Murdoch's witch-hunt
Tommy Sheridan: End Murdoch's vendetta
Socialist Party NHS campaign
Warning: NHS cuts seriously damage your health
Manchester: Karen Reissmann sacked - and cuts still loom
Post Office dispute
What we think
Interest rate cut will bring no reprieve
Global Warming
Thousands march against climate change
Socialist Party news and analysis
Sefton's first citizen "cheating the system"
Unite Cardiff schools campaigns
Socialist Students
National Union of Students: Right wing force through undemocratic changes
Leicester students debate tuition fees
International socialist news and analysis
Beijing Olympics under a cloud
China: Mass protests erupt in Shenyang
Extraordinary tape destruction at CIA torture camp
Workplace news and analysis
DWP strike: Fighting the pay cuts
Birmingham city council: Workers boo 'lead balloon' councillors
Action can beat Cadbury closure threat
Newham council sack Unison chair
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