University students haven’t forgiven Lib Dems for fees u-turn

The Liberal Democrats’ u-turn over university tuition fees is continuing to haunt them when it comes to student voters.

A survey this week of 1,000 undergraduates for the Higher Education Policy Institute found students plan to back Labour and the Conservatives ahead of the Lib Dems.

Before the 2010 election, the party had promised to oppose any rise in fees, but 27 Lib Dem MPs voted to allow universities in England to charge annual tuition fees of up to £9,000, nearly three times the previous limit.

A visit this week to the Students’ Union at Oxford Brookes University seemed to support the idea that the u-turn was still hurting the Lib Dems.

"Untrustworthy" and "frustrating" are among the adjectives used to describe the party by young people now paying £9,000 a year in fees.

First-year student Georgiette Korankye explained: "That’s a big issue in terms of lack of faith in the party because they couldn’t keep up what they said they would do."

John Baldwin, a fourth-year student, agreed: "Generally I think it’s hard to disassociate them with the broken promise."

Fellow student Diko Blackings added: "It’s a legacy that students haven’t forgotten and since they’re looking for free education and looking for the party that will offer that right now, I’m not seeing that."

While the anger over the 2010 vote to support tuition fee increases continues, Brexit may help the party to make up some ground.

The Lib Dems’ pro-remain stance could play well with younger voters, more than 70% of whom backed staying in the EU.

Campaigning in Oxford this week, party leader Tim Farron said the party has hit record membership levels and many of the new joiners were young people looking for an alternative to the Conservatives.

Joe Crossley, acting president of Oxford University Liberal Democrats believes it’s time to move on from fees.

He said: "I think that the primary issue in the election of course is Brexit and the Lib Dems are the only ones fighting to keep the UK in the single market."

But neither Brexit nor the fact that Mr Farron voted against tuition fees seem to be healing old wounds.

Stephen Fisher, associate professor of sociology at the University of Oxford, said: "A recent poll of students by the Higher Education Policy Institute shows no recovery of the student vote for the Liberal Democrats – they’re still about 12%.

"Meanwhile Labour are on about 55% among students which is much higher support for Labour than in the general population."

(c) Sky News 2017: University students haven’t forgiven Lib Dems for fees u-turn