Lib Dems: other parties will increase student fees

28 April 2010

Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg

By Mark Astley: Students at Staffordshire University could end up paying £7,000 a year in tuition fees under Conservative or Labour governments, according to the Liberal Democrats.

The Lib Dems have highlighted a newspaper article from last year which indicated that both Labour and the Conservatives would favour a £7,000 level in fees.

According to calculations done by the party, a student graduating from an English university in 2015 will leave with £38,123 of debt – increasing to £44,000 for students in London.

Current students leaving Staffordshire University have around twenty thousand pounds debt.

Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg said: “Despite the huge financial strain fees already placed on Britain’s young people, it is clear both Labour and the Conservatives want to lift the cap on fees.”

“Not only do we oppose any raising of the cap, we will scrap tuition fees for good, including for part-time students.”

Fees are currently capped at £3,225 for the current academic year rising to £3,290 next year.

STORY PUBLISHED AT WWW.STAFFS.AC.UK/STAFFSLIVE