Hull University's trebled tuition fees marks a double Lib Dem betrayal

Hull North MP Diana Johnson has reacted to today's announcement that Hull University will treble its tuition fees to the Government's £9,000 limit from 2012.

Diana Johnson MP said: "A year ago my Lib Dem opponent in the General Election signed a pledge, in full knowledge of the deficit, that the Lib Dems would abolish tuition fees.

"A year on we have seen a double broken promise from the Lib Dems.

"First Lib Dems broke their Election promise on tuition fees, alongside similar pledges on police numbers and VAT.

"Now, even the more recent promise that fees in most universities would only double to around £6,000 is collapsing, with Hull University being the latest to treble fees to the full £9,000.

"The savage level of Government cuts in higher education funding has led many universities to hike tuition fees to the £9,000 maximum.

"This trebling of tuition fees, combined with a huge cut in the Educational Maintenance Allowance, will mean that potential Hull University students will face a tuition bill for a three year course of at least £27,000 - and that does not include their rising living costs.

"I fear that the combination of these disastrous changes will price many Hull young people, especially from poorer backgrounds, out of going to their local University.

"It will be interesting to see how far the package of student support promised by Hull University will go in countering the regressive effects of changes to tuition fees and EMA."

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