Green Party pledges to scrap tuition fees and bring back maintenance grants
26 April 2017
*Green Party launches three student policies
*Pledges to scrap tuition fees, bring back maintenance grants and protect students and universities after Brexit
*Co-leader Jonathan Bartley: “Students need a liferaft in the Brexit storm”
The Green Party will announce three policies aimed at students at an event in Sheffield today.
Co-leader Jonathan Bartley and deputy leader Amelia Womack will make a series of commitments to students during a visit to the University of Sheffield [1]. They will be joined by students, members of the Young Greens and Natalie Bennett, candidate for Sheffield Central.
The Green Party will pledge to:
*Scrap tuition fees
*Reinstate maintenance grants
*Continue the Erasmus programme and match EU funding for universities with a UK equivalent after Brexit
Ahead of the announcement, Bartley said:
“The Green Party is the only party standing up for students and putting young people at the heart of its campaign. Education is a right not a commodity to be bought and sold, and we need a level playing field so everyone has the chance to go to university or college.
“Students need a liferaft in the Brexit storm. They are being ignored in the Brexit negotiations, despite having the most to lose. Funding for our universities is under unprecedented threat. The Green Party will not let young people miss out on opportunities to study, travel and work across Europe because of a decision that they so emphatically voted against.
“Building a better future for young people is an absolute priority and today we are committing to policies that will help us work towards an open, fairer society where everyone has the chance to succeed.”
Notes:
1. The policy launch is at 12 noon, April 26 outside the Information Commons, University of Sheffield, 44 Leavygreave Road, Sheffield S3 7RD.
2. Green Party tax plans will be unveiled in the manifesto in May. The scrapping of tuition fees will be paid for through progressive taxation including a rise in corporation tax for large companies. Corporation tax has been cut sharply since 2010, with the main rate dropping from 28% to a proposed 17%, which will cost £12bn by 2020-21.