Petition asking MPs in favour of raising tuition fees to repay the cost of their university education

The coalition government believes the primary beneficiary of higher education is the individual rather than the state, and therefore that individuals must bear the costs of their education.

Many current MPs received their university education funded by taxpayers: when they went to university, higher education was free or had minimal fees, and grants were given to many of those who currently support the proposed rise in fees.

Does the higher education these MPs received now benefit them as individuals, or is it working for the greater good of the state?

We, the undersigned, call on all MPs whose university education was funded by taxpayers and who would vote for the proposed rise in tuition fees to pay the equivalent cost of their education (i.e. grants converted to what they would cost today, and three years of fees at the proposed rates) into the National Scholarship Programme.

If the benefit of higher education to the individual is as great as the propaganda and rhetoric emerging from the government might lead us to believe, this is a reasonable request and will be of great benefit to students from poorer backgrounds. If it is difficult for MPs to pay such an amount, then they need to rethink their approach to higher education.