Labour MPs call for freeze on student fees

Labour MPs have tabled a 'prayer'* in the House of Commons to annul the annual uprating of student fees. MPs are calling on the Government not to increase student fees at a time when personal debt levels are contributing to the weakening economy.

John McDonnell MP, LRC Chair, said

“As the Government has just handed £50bn to the banks, I thought the least we could do would be to freeze student fees for one year.”

“As our economy unravels due to unsustainable debt, it seems obscene to be increasing the millstone around the necks of young people.”

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* A Prayer is a type of motion that MPs can table to oppose a Statutory Instrument (piece of secondary legislation that the Government can introduce without requiring a vote on the floor of the House of Commons). MPs are unable to amend Statutory Instruments (SIs) - just to oppose them. If MPs table a 'prayer', it forces a vote on the motion to annul.

MPs supporting the motion, tabled by John McDonnell MP, include: Jeremy Corbyn, Ann Cryer, Ian Gibson, Kate Hoey, Lynne Jones, David Taylor