Tories to Let Students Down?

3.04.23pm UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 11th Nov 2003

News that the Conservatives are reviewing their pledge to oppose university tuition and top-up fees has been greeted with regret by David Rendel MP.

Mr Rendel, who has recently been re-appointed by Liberal Democrat Leader Charles Kennedy as his party's Spokesperson on Higher Education, commented:

"Six months after the Tories launched their policy to scrap fees, and it is already under review!"

"I will be voting against top-up fees when Parliament considers the issue over the next few weeks. I was hoping that Conservative MPs would join me. Sadly, it looks like they will be helping the Government instead. Many West Berkshire students and their parents will be bitterly disappointed."

"Perhaps we shouldn't be too surprised given that the Tories slashed support for students during their time in office."

Notes:

1) Interviewed on the Today programme (11/11/2003), the new Conservative health and education spokesperson Tim Yeo MP refused to rule out dropping the commitment to abolish tuition fees and oppose top-up fees. He said that he was not prepared to comment on policy until he had carried out a review.

2) Conservative splits on the issue were further underlined by a letter in today's Daily Telegraph from Robert Jackson, Conservative MP for Wantage. He wrote: "I hope that Michael Howard and his new shadow cabinet will carry out an urgent review of the party's opposition to this proposal [for top-up fees]."