I would not have gone to university

I went to university in the mid 80’s. At this time the North West, where I grew up, had yet to recover from the recession of 1980-1 and Thatcher’s onslaught on the region’s traditional manufacturing industries. The miner’s strike was in full swing when my degree course started in 1984. Youth unemployment was so high that since the late 70’s young people leaving school at 16 had been ‘encouraged’ onto YOP (Youth Opportunity Programme). This programme entailed a period of training on a minimal wage with the hope it would lead to full employment for young people. Most ‘trainees’ on the scheme felt they were just used as cheap labour. I recall hearing of friends and their siblings who finished their YOP one week only to be replaced by a new trainee the following week.

Conscious of the employment situation and the importance of work experience I chose an unusual degree course. I studied History and Politics at Brunel University. Brunel was unique at that time in offering a “thin sandwich” course to all students. This meant my course was four years long but for the first three years I was at university between October and March and then had periods of (usually) paid work experience from April to September. Having this ‘guaranteed’ work as part of my course meant I did not have to worry about returning home and searching for work in the summer holidays. I felt this gave me both the chance to learn about the world of work and secure some income for the following academic year.

Back home my parents made enough to get by, just. There was no money for extras. I was the first person in my family ever to go to university. The whole experience was a mystery, a closed world. I was concerned about how I would live. Debt was a big issue. Although we had no money we did not borrow money. The thought of a debt of £21,000 (even adjusted to 1980’s levels) in fees plus living costs would have been a great disincentive to my university career. I think I may have been pressured to go and find a job rather than run up this sort of debt.

Thinking ahead I worry about those of lower or middle income families who aspire to go to one of the ‘better’ universities. How much will Oxford and Cambridge and Bristol and Durham and St Andrews want to charge in fees? How much will it cost to study medicine or veterinary science? Will the choice of university and course be determined by cost not by academic ability or interest?

I am sick and tired of politicians making promises and then breaking them. Liberal Democrat MPs committed to oppose tuition fees before the last election. I fully agreed with that commitment. I thought that as Liberal Democrats we had principles. Now it seems we are just the same as Labour who brought in tuition fees in 1998, having committed not to do this. What is the difference!

I applaud those Liberal Democrat MPs who have already come out as opposing any increase in tuition fees. I believe there are around 30 to date. I hope there are many more to come.
I have a message to Vince and Nick. Liberal Democrats said NO to tuition fees and we meant NO to tuition fees. We have campaigned on it. We have gained votes from this pledge. We cannot overturn all that we have said in the past. NO increase in tuition fees.