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

17 May 2017

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

Labour to scrap tuition fees? How do you propose paying for it? By raising taxes on the young people who had to pay for increase rate! pic.twitter.com/5lgHeHTYTI

— Daniel Wemyss (@daniel_wemyss) May 10, 2017

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

https://twitter.com/NadineDorries/status/862573948961267713

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

— UNFRIENDLY (@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 (@dmlynch) May 9, 2017

1) #GE2017
Labour: we'll scrap tuition fees ✔
Tories: we'll continue to charge for tuition and won't put a cap on them. ❌

— Helen Meldrum (@HelenLMeldrum) May 8, 2017

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!