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MP backs students

23 February 2010

Jim Cunningham, MP for Coventry South, has today announced that he is backing students in their campaign to fight for a fairer deal on tuition fees, by signing the NUS 'Funding Our Future Pledge.'

The Funding Our Future campaign is run by the NUS, and aims to generate public support for a simpler system of tuition fee support. It also asks signatories not to vote against tuition fee rises in the next parliament.

Mr. Cunningham commented:

"I am proud to back the NUS campaign. Education is a driving force in social mobility, and I believe should be accessible to all.

"I am also concerned at the complexity of the system, and agree with the NUS that it needs to be simplified. In particular, the delays we have seen this year in students receiving their loan payments highlighted the inefficiencies that exist within the present system.

"I recently met with David Lammy, minister of state for Higher Education, to put to him some of the concerns students in my constituency had expressed. In particular, I expressed my belief that increases in tuition fees may lead to a form of rationing in higher education. If bright pupils from poorer backgrounds can not afford to attend a good quality university as it is charging very high tuition fees, then that is a serious form of inequality.

"Access to higher education has improved dramatically under this government – the number of students admitted to university from poorer backgrounds rose by 8% this year. This must continue.

"I will be voting against any rise in tuition fees in the next Parliament."