Press releases

Labour MPs should join the students’ demonstrations and back the occupations

8th December 2010

MPs will vote tomorrow (Thu 9 Dec) on whether to increase university tuition fees up to as much as £9,000 per year. LRC members and affiliates will be joining students on the streets in a final attempt to pressure MPs to vote against these plans.

John McDonnell MP, LRC Chair, said:

“The LRC believes all fees should be abolished, the student grant restored with free education funded from general taxation. There is no need for extra fees or a graduate tax. This Coalition government will be condemned by a generation for marketising education and making university education an elite privilege again.

“We wholeheartedly back the students and call on all Labour MPs, including the shadow Cabinet, to join the demonstrations and back the occupations.

“This is no time to stand on the sidelines. The Labour Party and wider labour movement should back the students’ inspirational struggle.”

-Ends-

Notes to Editors:

The LRC is a democratic membership organisation on the Labour left. It has over 1000 members across the UK and over 100 affiliates, including six national trade unions.

In Parliament John McDonnell voted against the introduction of tuition fees and against top-up fees, and on 9 December will vote against raising the fees limit. John has also been on and spoken at student demonstrations and occupations in the last month.

LRC members will be meeting at Malet Street, London at 12pm on Thursday 9 December to demonstrate and march on Parliament.

Download the LEAP report: Student Economics - why fees are unnecessary and how we can fund university education.

Read Jeremy Corbyn MP on fees, demonstrations, occupations and the coalition government in the Morning Star