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Kettering Lib Dem parliamentary candidate: "I'm proud to be one of the 104" who signed petition against higher tuition fees
November 29, 2010 3:23 PM
Chris Nelson, Liberal Democrat parliamentary spokesperson for Kettering
2010 Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for Kettering Chris Nelson has joined local colleagues and 104 Lib Dem parliamentary candidates across the country in opposing plans to raise university tuition fees.
The petition has the signatures of 104 Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidates who did not win seats in the recent General Election. The petition's signatories also include Andrew Simpson, who was the Liberal Democrat candidate for Northampton North at the last election.
The proposals to raise the cap on tuition fees are also opposed by the former candidate for Wellingborough, Kevin Barron, with signatures being sought from other former parliamentary candidates within the county.
Commenting on the petition, the 2010 Liberal Democrat candidate for Kettering Chris Nelson said,
"As a lifelong opponent of university tuition fees, I have serious concerns about the proposals put forward by the Government to raise the cap on tuition fees - and that's why I continue to oppose them."
"I'm pleased that Lib Dem ministers in Government have been able to make the proposals fairer, by raising the threshold at which graduates start paying off these debts and making sure the richest graduates pay a fairer share. Nonetheless, raising tuition fees to £9,000 a year would mean the typical graduate leaving university with at least £36,000 of debt - putting many thousands of young people off applying to university altogether!"
"Along with every Lib Dem MP and hundreds of other candidates, I signed an NUS pledge at the last election to oppose tuition fees and push for a fairer alternative. I stick to that pledge - and I'm proud to be one of 104 parliamentary candidates that are calling on every Lib Dem MP to do the same by voting against these proposals."
ENDS
Notes:
1. The NUS pledge for students read: "I pledge to vote against any increase in fees in the next parliament and to pressure the government to introduce a fairer alternative" (http://www.nus.org.uk/en/News/News/Lib-Dem-and-Labour-MPs-would-vote-together-to-oppose-tuition-fee-rise/) and was signed by all 7 Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidates in Northamptonshire.
2. The candidates' petition is hosted on the website of Derek Deedman, 2010 Candidate for Arundel and the South Downs: http://derekdeedman.mycouncillor.org.uk/liberal-democrats-parliamentary-candidates-petition/. It has received coverage, among other places, from the BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11860155
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