Reginald Shore, Liberal Democrat PPC for Lincoln, tells University of Lincoln students why they should vote for him. This letter originally appeared in The Linc’s last print edition of this year, in March 2010.
Students I speak to demand change.
They seek a fairer world built upon honesty and principle; a place where their talents can help build a brighter tomorrow; free from speculators who gamble with our economy for the want of a fast buck.
They seek a country that invests in young people because it recognizes their worth; a country that is safe, progressive and forward thinking.
As an educationist I am appalled by the present state of education funding and this includes tuition fees, student loans, compromised bursaries and cuts to higher education.
A graduate who works for me took out a £20,000 loan in order to fund her studies. She recently started to repay that loan which has risen, in a few short years, to £25,000.
The Liberal Democrats’ greatest commitment is to education. We will scrap tuition fees, as we’ve done in Scotland, so that graduates will not be saddled with thousands of pounds worth of debt at a time when they are already struggling to find a job and make ends meet.
Liberal Democrats believe that a university education should be free and everyone who has the ability should be able to go to university and not be put off by the cost.
Liberal Democrats say education is important because we mean it.
The educated citizen will access better pay and return higher levels of tax payments for reinvestment and their positive input into society is priceless.
I am very concerned about the impact HE cuts will have upon research and development in universities as this Government is advising that these budgets could be used elsewhere.
To maximize our ability to compete with global competition, it is essential that we have the people with the tools to re-invigorate and maintain our position as a potent force, with the strength and depth to help generate the new industries so vital to our nation’s future.
We need to rediscover our talent for making things as well as placing bets on the international money markets.
Liberal Democrats offer that change.