Ian Swales announces his position on tuition fees

Questions have been raised over whether and how the coalition government will influence Liberal Democrat MPs’ stances on the issue of higher education funding.

The coalition agreement has seen both the Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrats give ground on certain policies and issues to make compromises in order to form a stable government capable of solving the nation’s debt crisis.

The Liberal Democrat manifesto proposed phasing out tuition fees and many Liberal Democrat MPs – including Redcar’s Ian Swales – have signed the National Union of Students pledge to “vote against any increase in fees in the next parliament and to pressure the government to introduce a fairer alternative.

Ian Swales said, “I am heartened by the provisions set out in the full coalition agreement. The government will await Lord Browne’s final report, and has stated that it will judge its proposals against the need to address a number of issues, including the need to: ‘increase social mobility’; ‘take into account the impact on student debt’; and ‘attract a higher proportion of students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

“If these issues are addressed properly, the coalition government will have acted in the student interest.”