Universities need a 35% increase in tuition fees says report. Maybe thhey pay the vice-Chancellors too much for starters! Please explain how a student from Eton – fees now £55000 should only pay £10000. We know that they get into Uni due to priveldge anyway! Also why should Oxbridge and red-bricks not share the money with the rest? And less talk about ‘worthless’ degrees please. The arts make a huge contribution to the economy. The city workers are better trained in a bookies! The expansion of Universities was probably misguided as there were no easy alternatives at the time. But with a Labour government can we see an increase in both apprenticeships AND their status. TBH the argument for a 3 year degree course is not an academic one! There are social reasons for young adults to get away from home to start their adult life – but I am not convinced that Uni’s are the best option. Yes we need our best brains to develop and further education should be free for these people. Courses that veer towards the practical should involve work placements here and abroad – ERASMUS?
Labour are also having to face a plethora of challenges. Angela Rayner will not find the housing problem an easy task, especially with the Grenfell legacy to sort out (which was basically ignored by the last government). The Environment Minister, Steve Reed will find that the water supply and sewage disposal issues are not easy. Agriculture and pesticide use are becoming an urgent problem. Bring back the wasps! and the rest of the insects! We need you, rather than your human impersonators on the right!
Small boats need urgent attention – if Labour even get part way to solving the crisis of deaths in the English Channel it will be interesting to see who the right wing press, Tufton St and Reform will pick on next?!