What your MPs, student leaders and Huddersfield University experts thought about the tuition fees vote

Dec 10 2010 By Kevin Core

CONSERVATIVE  Colne Valley  MP Jason McCartney voted  against the government’s bid  to treble student tuition fees.

The shock move came after a day of  lobbying by a delegation of Huddersfield University students who praised  him for “actually listening to us”.

The former lecturer contributed to a  vote which saw a narrower victory than  the government envisioned, the proposal being carried with a majority of  just 21 – 323 votes to 302.

It paves the way for a rise in tuition  fees in England of up to £9,000 a  year.

He said: “I think this was far too big  a hike in fees. It’s my opinion that the  trebling of fees would saddle students  with huge levels of debt and deter  many from poorer backgrounds from  applying to university.’’

“It was with a heavy heart that I  voted against the Government despite  a number of worthwhile concessions,  including a hardship fund for poorer  students made this week.

“But when I was elected I promised  to be a strong local voice for my Colne  Valley constituency and to represent  the views of my 81,000 constituents in  Westminster. That’s what I have  done.”

This week I have had face to face meetings with Kirklees College students, the President of Huddersfield University Student’s union, the Prime Minister and the Universities Secretary. I’ve had phone calls with parents, other students and senior staff at Huddersfield University. I have received hundreds of emails. I’ve also listened to the other side of the argument with hard working taxpayers questioning why they should subsidise university education so heavily.

“As a former university lecturer, I believe that the length and type of course on offer at our universities needs to be looked at. However, this vote wasn’t about that. All in all it was the most difficult decision I’ve made so far as the MP for Colne Valley.

“I took no pleasure in going through the same lobby as the Labour Party, who originally introduced tuition fees, and have offered no viable alternative. They have flip flopped all over the place with an unworkable graduate tax. Shame on the Labour Party who have played petty partisan politics with an issue that affects the futures of hundreds of thousands of young people.”

He condemned the violence outside,  saying it contrasted to the thoughtful  young people he had spoken with.
Labour’s Barry Sheerman, voted  against the rise. He said: “I was pleased  to see that Jason McCartney was one  of the Tories who showed guts and  voted the way he did.

“I think the vote showed that there  are some seriously unhappy people in  the coalition. I was pleased to speak in  it and tried to give a balanced view that  this was too much against a backdrop  of a squeeze on higher education. Nick  Clegg and the Liberal Democrats are  responsible for this going through.