Odun, Leicester Socialist Students
Keir Starmer’s Labour government is raising tuition fees. But Socialist Students is mobilising a fightback.
Labour has promised that tuition fees will rise by inflation every year. And they are enshrining that it into law.
Labour’s tuition cost rise this year is the biggest tuition rise since the Tory-Lib Dem coalition trebled fees in 2010, provoking hundreds of thousands of students to protest, occupy, and walk out.
What do we get for this fee rise?
Job cuts across universities – 10,000 already. And maintenance loans that Labour has said will still not match the cost of living – currently £502 a month short.
Feeling the anger of students and workers, Labour has promised the return of some maintenance grants. Do we expect these to cover the cost of living?
Socialist Students is fighting for maintenance grants for all, at a level that gives all students a decent standard of living. We demand fully funded free education, defending jobs of staff – paid for by the super-rich.
Leicester uni staff are striking again to defend 160 jobs from £11 million cuts. 300 demonstrated on 12 November. Socialist Students is supporting the picket lines (see pages 12-13).
Leicester Socialist Students is organising campaign stalls. On one stall, we distributed close to 200 leaflets. Students indicated interest in fighting back.
We’re campaigning for students to join the struggle to halt the tuition fee rise, course closures, and demand full funding and democratic running of universities.
Students and staff need to unite to build a movement and political alternative to demand the wealth be taken off the 1% to guarantee free education, maintenance grants for all students, and full funding of education and other public services.
