NOW ‘SIR FLIP-FLOP’ BACKTRACKS ON UNIVERSITY TUITION FEES
SIR Keir Starmer has been accused of “flip-flopping” after his U-turn on a pledge to abolish university tuition fees.
The Labour leader vowed to scrap the £9,250-a-year charges when he ran for the leadership in 2020. But yesterday he confirmed Labour is preparing to abandon the commitment. He blamed the nation’s economic woes.
He said: “We are looking at options for how we fund these fees. The current system is unfair, it doesn’t really work for students, doesn’t work for universities.”
Sir Keir said the party would “set out a fairer solution” in the coming weeks. He added: “We are likely to move on from that commitment because we do find ourselves in a different financial situation.” Greg Hands mocked the Labour leader for his latest U-turn.
The Conservative Party chairman said: “Sir Keir is back to what he does best – flip-flopping on a major issue.”
Toxic
Conservative MP Mark Jenkinson said: “Sir Flip-Flop makes another U-turn, as sure as night follows day.”
Tory MP Esther McVey added: “Does Sir Keir Starmer have a sincerely held consistent belief in anything? Today he no longer believes in scrapping tuition fees.” Jo Grady, University and College Union general secretary, said: “Keir Starmer repeatedly pledged to abolish the toxic system of tuition fees and in doing so was elected leader of the Labour Party.
“It is deeply disappointing for him to now be reneging on that promise, a move which would condemn millions of future students to a life of debt. The country needs a publicly-funded higher education system.”
Sir Keir has already backtracked on a series of pledges including plans to increase income tax for the top five per cent of earners, ditch the universal credit benefit system and nationalise energy companies.