Guildford's Lib Dem Councillors vow to fight government on tuition fees

Following the Business Secretary's statement yesterday that the government are considering raising the cap on tuition fees, Lib Dem councillors on GBC have vowed to fight any increase on fees.

Cllr Chris Ward, whose Onslow ward contains the University of Surrey, said, "I was one of the very few people from my hometown to go to university. I know that if fees had been £7k per annum, I probably would have done what many people did and reject the idea outright due to the vast debt university education would bring."

"I have fought fees right from the beginning. I fought them whilst I was a student working near full-time hours simply so I could stay financially afloat. I fought them a couple of years ago when the National Union of Students decided to bow to the government's wishes and accept the status quo on fees. It would be disingenuous, dishonourable and a betrayal to those students in my ward who voted for me if I were to back down from that fight now. Access to higher education should always be based on your brains, not your bank balance."

Cllr Fiona White, Leader of the Lib Dems on Guildford Borough Council said, "We will fight the government every step of the way to stop them introducing higher fees. When every individual candidate makes a pledge not to do something if they are successful in getting elected as an MP, it is simply wrong for them to go back on that promise. We call for every Liberal Democrat MP to honour their pledge to vote against increasing fees and introducing a damaging market into higher education that will favour the better off and leave the disadvantaged behind."