Lords vote could put pressure on fees
plans
By
Dave Sherratt -
Imperial College London
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Peers in the House of Lords are to debate the coalition government’s controversial tuition fees hikes.
The Lords have already defeated the coalition six times in recent
weeks, and their verdict on the plan could prove an important factor in
the ongoing fight to defeat the plans to raise fees as high as £9,000 a
year in some cases.
More Lib Dems in the Lords stuck to their pledge than their
counterparts in the Commons, with half of them refusing to back the
rises.
If this is defeated in the Lords the legislation will have to be
taken back to the Commons – a scenario that the coalition, and Nick
Clegg in particular, would not want.
In the Lords’ vote, Labour peers will have to overturn a coalition
majority of 40 to have a chance of blocking the government’s education
proposals.
If Labour is successful, the government would have to delay any
increase in fees until after wider public consultation and a White Paper
on higher education funding.
Source: http://www.thenationalstudent.co.uk/2010/12/14/lords-vote-could-put-pressure-on-fees-plans/