Tim Farron MP joins Uni of Cumbria students to fight tuition fees

11.41.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 3rd Apr 2009

Local MP Tim Farron met students last Thursday (2 April 2009) from the University of Cumbria at Ambleside to listen to their views on tuition fees and launch his campaign against raising the tuition fees cap.

Tim has received many letters from young people across the South Lakes who fear the impact of raising the tuition fees cap, and the resultant debt that they will be saddled with.

Last night's event was part of the of the Students' Union "Broke and Broken" campaign which highlights the way the funding system for Higher Education is failing many students from poorer backgrounds.

Tim Farron said: "Bright and intelligent young people are being put off going to university by the thought of being saddled with £10,000 of debt. I believe that everyone deserves the chance to open the doors to the best opportunities in life. And it's because of that the Liberal Democrats are committed to scrapping tuition fees for full and part-time students, and improving access to apprenticeships so that everyone can get the best from their education.

"I think it's unfair that the people in parliament who gained the most from a free education now pull up the ladder for the next generation. That's why I launched my campaign at Ambleside last night and that's why I'm calling for free education for all."

Andy Gutkowski, Vice President of Cumbria University Students' Union said: "In a time of great financial hardship, it seems illogical for any University to think about increasing the amount students have to pay. Currently students can leave with £17,000 of debt - under the potential new system debt could rise to £30,000. This is something students cannot afford and will not agree to; education should be about accessibility not elitism where the students with the most money get the best education because they can attend the best institutions. The proposed new system needs to be fair and as I have stated it is fundamentally flawed."