Battlefront You're Already Involved

James, sorry can't agree with this campaign, when I wanted to go to Uni, there was only one option, you paid or didn't go, there were no grants, no loans etc... either your parents paid or you got a job and studied at the same time... as a Tax Payer I RESENT my taxes being used in this way especially when up to 30% of students leave Uni in their 1st or 2nd year and then the tax payer never gets the money back....

Val, 16 March 2010 04:58

Saw the Battlefront programme..... Just a pity that JG didn't ask why Top ups and Tuition fees were free in Scotland, heavily subsidised in Wales but full on and ever increseasing in England! WHY are students in England being penalised??? Tuition fees are the tip of an unfair iceberg. Prescription charges, free in Wales, free by 2013 in Scotland - yet ever-increasing towards 10 quid a go in England. Add to that Eye test and Dental check charges, the non-availability of expensive cancer drugs in England, the selling off of old people's homes to fund their residential care (just in England, obviously) and the fact that per head, people in England get the least spent on them compared with the Welsh, Northern Irish and Scots. James, mate.... as an aspiring politician, do you reckon it's fair that Gordon Brown can bring in legislation on Education, Health, Housing, Transport, Planning, Local Government etc that affects 50 million people in England, but not one of his constituents in his own Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath constituency because they are all devolved to the Scottish Executive? Is that democratic and fair? Is it right that England, the founder of the two-tier parliamentary system and the oldest nation state in Europe is the only democratic country in the whole world without a national parliament of its own? An English Parliament would mean SMALLER more accountable government for England. 70% of all business currently debated in Westminster is exclusively English in application - and an EP would get rid of at least 250 superfluous MPs from NI, Wales and Scotland. At a stroke, the Westminster model would be redundant - and good riddance to bad rubbish. The House of Lords could be converted to a 100 member elected chamber to discuss and legislate for federal matters such as tax, foreign affairs etc. On a personal level, I thought you were pretty good - the only disappointment was that you didn't smack those 3 political vampires who you had to rehearse your speech to.... They know nowt - and are part of the infestation that currently afflicts the Westminster village.... The public want HONESTY!! Not greasy haired, power spex, Gauloise chain smoking advice from political hyenas. Also, I notice your organisation has Scottish, Welsh and NI arms - but none for England Yoof........... Isn't democracy wonderful? I just wish we in England had some now and again....

Steve Garrett, 21 October 2009 18:16

Hi, I've just watched the programme to. Just to thankyou for what you are doing, I'm a law student and the amount of debt im going to get into is ridiculous. why do we need to pay so much for university when after the three years we bring skills to the labour market and these skills are important to the economy. more income means more tax for politicians to claim on bath plugs, dog food and mortgages on rented properties. Ive actually started getting into so much debt that I have also looked into giving up university even though Law is a subject ive been interested in for 6yrs now. My university is making 125 members of staff reduntant next year and getting lecturers to put more hours in for the same money. so if costs are being cut (and hopefully this is across the board) will our tuition fees decrease inline with this?

Hannah, 21 October 2009 11:14

its even worse, think about how easy it is for private schooled students. Not only do they get a better direction and help for university applications, a much better education, and smaller class sizes than comprehensive sixth-formers, they have no problem financially when in university. What a great country this is.

Dan, 21 October 2009 10:05

This needs to be done on tuition fees alone i have come out of uni with £9k worth of debt and around £20k with maintenance loan in a working environment that is not stable enough to consider graduates, what makes it worse is the government planning on increasing the tuition fee... I'm sorry but if the Scots can have free tuition there must be a way for us to! keep up the good work!

Nat, 21 October 2009 09:36

Anyone read the latest Harry Phibbs article on top-up fees ? http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1215059/HARRY-PHIBBS-Students-responsibility-education-expect-state-pay.html As noted he's got both the annual cost of removing tuition fees wrong. He claims £12 bn - its actually somewhat over £2 bn and the amount of extra salary a graduate makes over a lifetime. He claims £400k - its actualy £160 k. too much to hope for a retraction I suppose.

bernard, 29 September 2009 14:05

Hey James, Saw your campaign on Channel 4. It was wicked. Keep up the good work. I wanted to start my own charity (campaign) on getting youths that left school or college back into eductaion, univeristy, traning or work. I wanted your help on ideas and perhaps starting it up. Its very closely related to your campaign. Could you help? AC

AC, 21 June 2009 19:50