Ed Miliband offers Lib Dems anti-tuition fee alliance
by Peter Wozniak
Ed Miliband has attempted to split the Liberal Democrats from their coalition partners by promising to support Lib Dem MPs who rebel against any increase in tuition fees.
The move comes amid reports that Lord Browne’s review does not look favorably on Vince Cable’s suggestion of a graduation tax to replace tuition fees.
Mr Miliband said: “If elected Labour leader I will bring forward plans to replace tuition fees with a new graduate tax better able to provide secure long-term funding for universities and fairer to students. It will mean that the amount you go on to earn reflects the amount you are expected to repay.
“Higher and variable tuition fees would create an unwanted market in higher education and limit the opportunities and aspirations of thousands of young people.
“If the coalition government come forward with plans for higher and variable tuition fees, I will work with those Liberal Democrat MPs who stand by their manifesto commitment, and I will work to defeat those plans in parliament.”
The idea of Lib Dem MPs supporting a raise in tuition fees against Labour opposition would be anathema to them, having campaigned for the phasing out of tuition fees during the election, but the coalition agreement allows the junior partner to abstain from any recommendation made by Lord Browne.
In a Guardian article in June, Ed Miliband stated he was in favour of a graduate tax, an idea originally mooted by business secretary Mr Cable.
Lord Browne’s report will be released on the 11th October. It has considered a range of proposals, but is widely assumed to favour an increase in tuition fees.
Such a result would leave many Liberal Democrat MPs and ministers disgruntled, since the abolition of tuition fees has long been held as a cornerstone Lib Dem policy.
Former Lib Dem leader Ming Campbell has already stated he will rebel against the government if it attempts to pass such an increase.
The implications of Ed Miliband’s move on the Labour leadership campaign may be dramatic, with David Miliband positioning himself in favour of tuition fees, as per the previous Labour government’s stance.
