In Tweets: What people say about Labour’s plan to axe tuition fees

Study International Staff

17 May 2017

In Tweets: What people say about Labour's plan to axe tuition fees — Labour is said to have released a manifesto for UK's youth. Source: Reuters/Darren Staples.

Last week, the UK Labour Party’s leaked manifesto revealed the party’s plan to completely scrap tuition fees at all universities.

According to Buzzfeed, Labour will abolish the current £9,000 (US$11,630) university fees and bring back maintenance grants for university students.

Labour hints that it will pledge to abolish university tuition fees https://t.co/ex9iGK2qUz

— Guardian Students (@GdnStudents) May 10, 2017

UK students have been seeing their access to education increasingly blocked in recent years; last year, maintenance grants for lower income students were scrapped and the government announced tuition fees would be hiked to £9,250 (US$11,954) per year from autumn 2017.

By contrast, Labour’s plans for the higher education sector portray a radical antithesis to the Conservative government’s actions.

But how has it been received by the public?

Here are some notable thoughts on the debate expressed on Twitter:

1. Labour = Party for young people

Labour is the only party that will help young people. From scrapping tuition fees to building houses. This matters. Register and #VoteLabour pic.twitter.com/Y46VCTxmJ8

— EL4C (@EL4JC) May 14, 2017

Labour to scrap tuition fees,ban zero hrs contracts,build new houses-a manifesto for young people? @rhulpir @bycLIVE https://t.co/aBFtsUR2zO

— James Sloam (@James_Sloam) May 11, 2017

https://twitter.com/AlexJCharlton/status/864212972851343362

A Labour Government would scrap tuition fees. Higher education will be a right, not a privilege. Young people – REGISTER AND VOTE LABOUR.

— Jared Garfield (@jaredgarfield1) May 10, 2017

2. Labour = Not the party for young people

https://twitter.com/daniel_wemyss/status/862365943791595521

3. It’s not about young people, it’s just the right thing to do.

I don't think Labour are scrapping tuition fees so young people vote for them, they're doing it because it's the right thing to do

— Andy (@andycasso96) May 10, 2017

https://twitter.com/Corbynator2/status/861963715817730048

4. But some don’t believe it can be done

https://twitter.com/JamesTobin97/status/864147800900030464

We must remember that it was Labour who introduced tuition fees. What they say and what they do are never the same two things

— Rt Hon Nadine Dorries (@NadineDorries) May 11, 2017

5. Academics say it is the only way to save social mobility

More than 2,000 academics have signed this letter commending @UKLabour's commitment to abolish tuition fees https://t.co/KihDK3P8px

— Shelly Asquith (@ShellyAsquith) May 12, 2017

6. Some are less generous – If I had it tough, so should you

Vote for labour? No chance. If I paid for uni so will you

— drama (@eyesonshen) May 10, 2017

https://twitter.com/PaddyVogel/status/861942390357200897

7. Maybe the middle ground would be better?

https://twitter.com/Mvnkoe/status/862354510466998274

8. A comparison to the Tories was inevitable

Labour: Free school meals, free hospital parking, no tax increase for 95%, abolition of tuition fees

Conservatives:https://t.co/laIA7aq79i

— David Lynch (@dmlynchlfc) May 9, 2017

https://twitter.com/brewster1994/status/861698526782402560

9. As well as some reminders on important history (Labour’s flip-flop, Corbyn’s [lack of] flip-flop)

https://twitter.com/abigailmaxkay1/status/861837460749340672

https://twitter.com/headrevolution/status/864394271838937088

https://twitter.com/lamzyco/status/864192789134934017

You are joking? LibDems lecturing on TUITION FEES?! FYI, Corbyn opposed introducing fees, opposed raising them and wants to scrap them. https://t.co/gPwBjIheBU

— George Aylett (@GeorgeAylett) May 14, 2017

10. Regardless, it is hard to deny the proposal’s popularity

Humongous Hint from Jeremy Corbyn on Tuition Fees…… Get ready to be very fecking excited. pic.twitter.com/j1wDl3lv6N

— Tory Fibs (@ToryFibs) May 10, 2017

https://twitter.com/JaneAitchison/status/621562323145199616

Watch this space as we follow the general election and see what the future holds for students in the UK!