Comments on: Anti-English Tuition Fees http://www.gavpolitics.co.uk/blog/2006/08/29/anti-english-tuition-fees/ English, Rationalist and Liberal Conservative Fri, 21 Nov 2008 02:37:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.1 by: Bernie Hughes http://www.gavpolitics.co.uk/blog/2006/08/29/anti-english-tuition-fees/#comment-13090 Fri, 01 Sep 2006 10:25:55 +0000 http://www.gavpolitics.co.uk/blog/2006/08/29/anti-english-tuition-fees/#comment-13090 I don't think it's the absence of an English Parliament so much as the absence, so far, of any popular claim to establish an English Parliament. I don't have any objection to the idea myself. See <a href="http://agentmancuso.blogspot.com/2006/08/retrenchment-reform.html" rel="nofollow">here</a> for one possible solution. I don’t think it’s the absence of an English Parliament so much as the absence, so far, of any popular claim to establish an English Parliament. I don’t have any objection to the idea myself. See here for one possible solution.

]]> by: Gav http://www.gavpolitics.co.uk/blog/2006/08/29/anti-english-tuition-fees/#comment-13085 Fri, 01 Sep 2006 08:43:48 +0000 http://www.gavpolitics.co.uk/blog/2006/08/29/anti-english-tuition-fees/#comment-13085 It's a shame, Bernie, that like the Conservatives, the LibDems are unable to see that a Scottish Parliament (with the power to make that decision) in the absence of an English Parliament is the cause, not the electoral system which, I agree, does benefit Labour (they'd still have won more seats than any other single party in the UK election on PR). It’s a shame, Bernie, that like the Conservatives, the LibDems are unable to see that a Scottish Parliament (with the power to make that decision) in the absence of an English Parliament is the cause, not the electoral system which, I agree, does benefit Labour (they’d still have won more seats than any other single party in the UK election on PR).

]]> by: Bernie Hughes http://www.gavpolitics.co.uk/blog/2006/08/29/anti-english-tuition-fees/#comment-13062 Thu, 31 Aug 2006 16:49:50 +0000 http://www.gavpolitics.co.uk/blog/2006/08/29/anti-english-tuition-fees/#comment-13062 At present, all EU students are exempt from tuition fees, with the exception of non-Scottish UK students. The abolition of tuition fees in Scotland was a non-negotiable condition for the Liberal Democrats to go into coalition with Labour. At the time (1999) abolition was favoured by every party in Scotland except Labour. Tuition fees still exist in the rest of the UK because the undemocratic first-past-the-post system allows Labour to govern with an absolute majority despite receiving a minority of votes. At present, all EU students are exempt from tuition fees, with the exception of non-Scottish UK students.

The abolition of tuition fees in Scotland was a non-negotiable condition for the Liberal Democrats to go into coalition with Labour. At the time (1999) abolition was favoured by every party in Scotland except Labour.

Tuition fees still exist in the rest of the UK because the undemocratic first-past-the-post system allows Labour to govern with an absolute majority despite receiving a minority of votes.

]]> by: Gav http://www.gavpolitics.co.uk/blog/2006/08/29/anti-english-tuition-fees/#comment-13004 Wed, 30 Aug 2006 10:11:46 +0000 http://www.gavpolitics.co.uk/blog/2006/08/29/anti-english-tuition-fees/#comment-13004 Dave, your common sense is beyond our legislators! Dave, your common sense is beyond our legislators!

]]> by: Dave http://www.gavpolitics.co.uk/blog/2006/08/29/anti-english-tuition-fees/#comment-12986 Tue, 29 Aug 2006 21:26:59 +0000 http://www.gavpolitics.co.uk/blog/2006/08/29/anti-english-tuition-fees/#comment-12986 What do you mean funded through Scottish Office/Scottish Executive? where do they get their money from? We British are all putting the money into the same pot but it is divided up differently depending on where we're from. Its nuts. We should either live by the same rules and laws or split up, one or the other. What do you mean funded through Scottish Office/Scottish Executive? where do they get their money from?

We British are all putting the money into the same pot but it is divided up differently depending on where we’re from. Its nuts. We should either live by the same rules and laws or split up, one or the other.

]]> by: Gav http://www.gavpolitics.co.uk/blog/2006/08/29/anti-english-tuition-fees/#comment-12970 Tue, 29 Aug 2006 12:56:00 +0000 http://www.gavpolitics.co.uk/blog/2006/08/29/anti-english-tuition-fees/#comment-12970 It strikes me that to pay the tuition fees of Scottish students is to treat Scottish EU citizens differently to English, Welsh or Greek EU citizens... It strikes me that to pay the tuition fees of Scottish students is to treat Scottish EU citizens differently to English, Welsh or Greek EU citizens…

]]> by: Jock Coats http://www.gavpolitics.co.uk/blog/2006/08/29/anti-english-tuition-fees/#comment-12961 Tue, 29 Aug 2006 10:08:34 +0000 http://www.gavpolitics.co.uk/blog/2006/08/29/anti-english-tuition-fees/#comment-12961 I am surprised because the Snats are for an independent Scotland as a fully functioning member of the EU and it was EU regulations that meant the rest of Britain had to be charged fees and could not be distinguishaed favourably from any other student coming from elsewhere in the EU. An early draft did indeed "exempt" UK students from fees, but it was ruled that whilst they could pay the fees of people from Scotland whose university costs were funded by the Scottish Office/Scottish Executive anyway previously they could not have different scales of fees for any other EU (including the rest of the UK) students. So I have a feeling that in order to do what they want to do they would have to exempt all EU students from fees (which may be a good investment in Scottish educational tourism of course). I am surprised because the Snats are for an independent Scotland as a fully functioning member of the EU and it was EU regulations that meant the rest of Britain had to be charged fees and could not be distinguishaed favourably from any other student coming from elsewhere in the EU. An early draft did indeed “exempt” UK students from fees, but it was ruled that whilst they could pay the fees of people from Scotland whose university costs were funded by the Scottish Office/Scottish Executive anyway previously they could not have different scales of fees for any other EU (including the rest of the UK) students.

So I have a feeling that in order to do what they want to do they would have to exempt all EU students from fees (which may be a good investment in Scottish educational tourism of course).

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