Salmond calls on Starmer to commit to scrapping English tuition fees
The move would see a Barnett consequential increase of £1 Billion to Scotland
ALBA Party leader Alex Salmond has called on Labour Leader Sir Keir Starmer to commit to scraping tuition fees if he becomes the next Prime Minister.
Scotland’s former First Minister says that the move would provide an immediate cash boost to the Scottish Government’s budget. Alba estimate the policy would cost £10 Billion meaning Scotland’s block grant would be increased £1 Billion if the UK Government made direct payments to English Universities.
Mr Salmond scrapped tuition fees back in 2007. The Labour Party pledged to do similar in 2017 under Jeremy Corbyn but have since supported the continuation of tuition fees in England which currently sit at £9,250 per year. Sir Keir Starmer was re-elected in the 2017 General Election standing on a manifesto commitment to scrap tuition fees in England.
Salmond’s Alba Party are standing in seats across Scotland at the General election
Commenting former First Minister and Alba Party leader Alex Salmond said:
“Thanks to free education introduced when I was First Minister young people in Scotland gain educational opportunity on their ability to learn not their ability to pay while their peers south of the border have the intimidation of annual tuition fees of over £9000. They then start working life with crippling debts which is bad for the economy and society.
“As a result of free education Scotland has one of the highest higher education and university participation rates in the whole of Europe.
“Sir Keir Starmer should follow Scotland’s lead and commit to abolishing tuition fees in England if he becomes the next Prime Minister. Not only would this be good for young people in England, it would lead to about £1 Billion of extra Barnett Consequential’s coming to Scotland to support our public services.
“One thing I can say with certainty. Any political party which attempts to roll back the social contract the Government I led established on free education and a health service free at the point of need will reap an electoral whirlwind. The rocks will melt with the sun before Scots would permit such regressive moves backwards.”