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UK: UK government faces rebellion over increasing university fees
London, (IRNA): Proposals unveiled Tuesday to increase university fees for undergraduates pose the first major challenge to the unity of Britain’s coalition government.
A review of the charges, carried out by former BP chairman Lord Browne, controversially suggested that the current cap on fees of £3,290 a year for home students should be removed and universities should be allowed to decide what they charge.
It proposed that a new system of financing universities will allow for a 10% increase in student places to meet rising demand for a degree-level education.
But the National Union of Students (NUS) warned that Browne was handing a 'blank cheque' to universities and claimed that nearly 30 Liberal Democrat MPs were prepared to rebel against the government over a rise in tuition fees.
Prior to joining its coalition with the Conservatives, all sitting Lib Dem MPs, including Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Business Secretary Vince Cable, signed up to an election pledge to vote against any increase in fees.
On paper it would take 42 of the 55 Lib Dem MP to vote against any proposal to defeat the government on a full parliamentary turn-out but under the hastily-engineered coalition agreement, their backbenchers are only allowed to abstain on votes on university finance.
The agreement has already caused dismay among the party’s supporters, having already lost out on the Conservative proposal to expand academy schools that are not accountable to local authorities.
The coalition has many potential conflicts due to difference on policies on such issues as Britain’s plans to replace the country’s Trident nuclear missiles system, the Middle East conflict, the legality of the Iraq war and on Iran’s nuclear programme.
London, (IRNA): Proposals unveiled Tuesday to increase university fees for undergraduates pose the first major challenge to the unity of Britain’s coalition government.
A review of the charges, carried out by former BP chairman Lord Browne, controversially suggested that the current cap on fees of £3,290 a year for home students should be removed and universities should be allowed to decide what they charge.
It proposed that a new system of financing universities will allow for a 10% increase in student places to meet rising demand for a degree-level education.
But the National Union of Students (NUS) warned that Browne was handing a 'blank cheque' to universities and claimed that nearly 30 Liberal Democrat MPs were prepared to rebel against the government over a rise in tuition fees.
Prior to joining its coalition with the Conservatives, all sitting Lib Dem MPs, including Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Business Secretary Vince Cable, signed up to an election pledge to vote against any increase in fees.
On paper it would take 42 of the 55 Lib Dem MP to vote against any proposal to defeat the government on a full parliamentary turn-out but under the hastily-engineered coalition agreement, their backbenchers are only allowed to abstain on votes on university finance.
The agreement has already caused dismay among the party’s supporters, having already lost out on the Conservative proposal to expand academy schools that are not accountable to local authorities.
The coalition has many potential conflicts due to difference on policies on such issues as Britain’s plans to replace the country’s Trident nuclear missiles system, the Middle East conflict, the legality of the Iraq war and on Iran’s nuclear programme.