IFS EXPOSES TORY HIGHER EDUCATION POLICY AS POOR DEAL FOR STUDENTS & CONFIRMS LIBERAL DEMOCRATS AS THE BEST

6.16.39pm UTC (GMT +0000) Fri 18th Mar 2005

It's official!

Student debts would spiral under the Conservatives, while the Liberal Democrat policy to scrap all tuition fees would be a much better deal for students.

That is the verdict of the independent and internationally respected Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS), which has published its analysis of the three main parties' policies for higher education.

The IFS report says:

"Debt on graduation would be lower under the Liberal Democrats… Indeed outstanding debt could go up under the Conservatives for low earners, even as they repay."

Commenting, David Rendel MP - the Liberal Democrat Spokesperson on Higher Education - said:

"This is a vindication of the Liberal Democrat policy of scrapping all university tuition fees.

"The Conservative policy of commercial interest rates on student loans has been exposed as expensive for students and quite possibly not workable at all, whilst our proposals have been given a clean bill of health.

"This comes after six opinion polls in a row showing that students prefer the Liberal Democrat approach. Independent experts and young people at university are agreed - the Liberal Democrats offer the best deal to students."

ENDS