I realise experts are much hated in this country but this is at best a partial, half-baked idea.

And yes, I realise that ‘bail out universities’ is not nearly as likely to yield popularity gains But I despair of the easy populism of our leaders.

Thread https://twitter.com/claudiawebbe/status/1346203480982233089

And don’t @ me. I think higher education should be affordable and not require loans of huge financial burdens!

We know it’s possible because lots of countries across the Channel do this.

Oh I’m sorry I forgot, if UK is special enough to leave that grouping, it sure as hell can’t learn anything from EU countries

This country has spent years monetising higher education, degrading any value of learning to purely instrumental, transactional exchange, slashing back budgets while creating a fat cat managerialist class to ensure higher education (again) reverts to a luxury

I realise complex, multi-faceted arguments don’t make for pithy, catchy little slogans but unless you’re willing to consider what else is needed beyond ‘cancel student fees/debt’ you are adding to the right wing anti higher ed narrative!

What do you think the fees pay for? It isn’t just salaries for the academics you hate so much. It’s all installations, laboratories, a host of support services (and even if anyone is deluded enough to think academics are all middle class (they’re not), most support staff aren’t

You created this beast by privatising by stealth. By slashing budgets and demanding universities ‘fund the money.’ They did by firing full time, experienced academics and moving punitive, exploitative zero hour contracts.

They ‘found the money’ by private student residences. And now are facing huge killer bills.

Cancel student fees &debt is real cute but shows little knowledge, understanding or care about the situation or any real commitment to solving this sector wide problem

Meanwhile academics have worked ludicrous hours to move teaching online. Many have not taken any or only minimal leave since the pandemic began. Many are burnt out and barely hanging on.

Many on zero hour contracts are facing extreme financial hardship because there are managerialist fat cats who think they can ‘save money’ by cutting staff gor online teaching...because of course it’s easier/not as good as in class

Oh and the support staff - on often quite low salaries as well as zero hour contracts - are trying to support staff without decent infrastructure, with all the hardship that comes with constrained incomes.

I have spoken about the inequalities amongst students exposed by the pandemic, but it is just as terrible for university staff (inc academics).

I am so done with half-baked, cute sounding slogans regardless of party affiliations that lead/pave the ways for ever shittier (and yes, right wing) policies

Do better! Esp if you think you are the left of centre!

Do the hard work of respecting your constituents and learning the complexities and explaining them to your people instead of reaching for the right wing tactic of cute slogans!

Because the point of being a leader is not to pander to the lowest common denominator simply because it may be popular but doing the best you can for as many people as can. Even, specially, when it is dofficult!