First coalition split?

[jake-the-peg]

Lord Browne has recommended lifting the University fees cap.

Leaving the rights an wrongs for another thread - can the Liberals be coerced into backing this - or even abstaining.

Dare Cameron risk this or would the political risks of a Liberal rebellion be too damaging to the coalition?

[Sqad]

Sorry about more "drivel" from me Jake but hey! I can take it.

Well we will have to wait and see if the Lib Dems abstain or go through with the Opposition.

Is that OK Jake?

[Davethedog]

Point is that this go's against a main point of all Liberal manifestos i.e education for all for free. The root membership are already starting to rebel about the cuts, it just remains to see if those that are in the cabinet are so greedy for power that they will back it.

If they do they could set the Liberal party back years.

[McMouse]

Many Liberal policies were aspirational as they never expected to be in government. Now they share power they face the reality of the measures necessary to get us out of the current mess.

[R1Geezer]

It's a tough one for the Libs but they'll abstain rather than remove themselves from the first power they've had in 100 years. If they join red labour and defeat the governement that's good bye governement pretty shortly after that and the Liberals could be out on their ear for another century, they won't risk that over what is a reletively minor issue for them.

[jake-the-peg]

Well it's first a decision for Cameron and to some extent for Clegg.

If they go for this option and get defeated it through a back bench rebellion it would be hugely damaging.

Even if there is a large failed rebellion it would be damaging.

So the rather interesting question is will Cameron go for it and try to hardnose it out or try to water it down by doing something like raising rather than abolishing the cap?

[NOX]

whether they abstain or if they rebel in their backbench droves then it'll all end the same with the coalition Govt damaged. the Lib Dems and the Tories are not natural bed fellows and if Nick Clegg hadn't been such an unpleasent little turncoat, betraying his own electorate many of whom voted for him to keep the Tories OUT, then people still have some faith in the Lib Dems. Can't personally wait for all this to fall down round their greedy lying ears.

[mike11111]

I went to university in 1972. Tuition fees were paid by the LEA and I also had a maintenance grant of £440 p.a. (roughly £5000 at today's prices). Without that help I simply would not have been able to afford to go. Due to my extravagance I managed to run up an overdraft of £700 over three years. I would not like to be a student today.

[Sqad]

I was at Uni in the 50´s, poor family so my tuition fees were paid as well as getting 400 UK pounds a term.
Then, 5% went to University and the drop out rate was minimal and the country could well afford it.
Now 50% of pupils go to University with a high drop out rate and degrees for which the country has little or no use.

In Scotland University education is free, for all residents of the EEC except England when students have to pay their own fees.

I left University with an overdraft of 70 UK pounds and like Mike,I wouldnt like to be a student today.

Education, Education Education...........but not my definition of education and is something that needs a complete overhaul as the country cannot afford this chaos of
drop outs and worthless degrees.

[jake-the-peg]

Personally my concern is that the best pupils will not be able to go to the best Universities and we'll have a situation like they do in the US.

That would be bad for everybody

I suspect that addressing that issue may be key to getting the Liberals on board

[lumination]

it would be great if uni was less exspensive. i really wanted to go but couldnt afford it :( so all my friends went without me. thanks to the education system!

[flobadob]

If the Lib-Dems are like almost every other political party then they will go against every principal they've ever had just to cling on to the power they perceive to hold.

[Kromovaracun]

I AM a student today.

Yikes.

[Sqad]

If I were PM I would make it clear to the Lib Dems that if this was defeated, then I would call an immediate General Election.........high risk strategy.

Lib Dems vote would be 16%.......goodbye Lib Dems

I would gable that the independents would support the Tories.

I did say that it was high risk.

[mike11111]

I think Sqad is right. University education has been devalued over the years. To win a place at university in the 50s/60s was a real achievement. One could take real pride in putting the letters B.A. (or other variants) after one's name. It will take a lot to convince me that a degree in Classics is of equal merit to a degree in Media Studies.

[Quizmonster]

Sorry, slightly off the point, but re Mike's comment about Media Studies, I myself think SOME sort of qualification in that subject should be COMPULSORY before one is allowed to leave school. (I make no comment on its value as compared with Latin.)
If nothing else, it might make more people aware of just how the media manipulate them. Some of our red-top rags, as well as some broadcasters, might be sussed out for what they really are...mere propaganda organs.

[Haggisdj]

I graduated as a mature student in 1998. It took me until 2008 to pay off my Student Loan. That was just the loan, no tuition fees... these new plans may financially cripple some graduates for years.

The upside may be that it may make some students think twice about about dropping out?

[flobadob]

I stand uncorrected. They are just like all the rest of the bottom feeders.