A decade after raising tuition fees to £9000, the Liberal Democrats have come up with a revolutionary plan to help people learn – give them £9000.
The party is set to unveil a policy to give every adult in Britain £9,000 tax-free to help them pursue life long learning.
A motion at this weekend’s party conference will see Vince Cable push a £1.5 billion plan for a universal Education and Skills Account which would see the Government hand every person £3,000 when they turn 25, 40 and 55.
The amounts would be designed to “encourage workers to retrain into shortage occupations”.
(Image: AFP)
The motion adds: “We would also incentivise people and employers to pay into these accounts by offering tax relief or match funding.
“From the age of 25 onwards, account holders would be able to use whatever money was saved in their accounts to pay for education and training courses.”
In 2010 Lib Dem MPs joined the Conservatives to approve plans to allow universities in England to charge annual tuition fees of up to £9,000, nearly three times the previous £3,200 limit.
Before the 2010 election, all Lib Dems had said they would oppose any rise in fees.
More than 21 Lib Dem MPs voted against the proposals at the time, including former leaders Charles Kennedy and Sir Menzies Campbell, while a further eight abstained or did not vote.
But the then leader Nick Clegg was among 27 Lib Dems to support the proposals.
Three years later the then deputy-PM apologised for breaking his promise.
He said” “There’s no easy way to say this: we made a pledge, we didn’t stick to it – and for that I am sorry.
“When you’ve made a mistake you should apologise. But more importantly – most important of all – you’ve got to learn from your mistakes.
“And that’s what we will do.”
Labour’s Shadow Education Secretary Angela Rayner said: “The Lib Dems ditched their tuition fee pledge to students because getting into bed with the Tories was more important to them than keeping their word.
“So this empty promise is another kick in the teeth for young people saddled with decades of debt thanks to the Lib Dems.”
