The immorality of university tuition fees

The Lib Dems have been warned by Charles Kennedy not to lose their ‘heart’ over spending cuts. Not to retreat on their opposition to tuition fees.

Spending cuts are essential, if properly targeted and not frontline, but one of the immoralities of the current spending regime – at a time when youth unemployment is at a record high and property ownership remains out of reach to many under 30s- is saddling kids in their early 20s with massive debt.

Baby boomers have enjoyed prosperity and high house prices, relatively low tax rises, and many can go on holiday, and enjoy life. Well, good on them, but what about their grandchildren?

That’s one worry that may disturb older people’s sleep. Where are the jobs, houses, families for many of today’s university students, or those who avoid university due to debt? Where indeed.

It is time for other parties to realise the immorality of tuition fees, and – in wielding the axe – do not let it fall on vulnerable youth. Someone else must pay, but not those kids at (or about to go to) university who will, after all, rebuild our country just as the post-war generation, the parents of the baby boomers, did.

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