Student Loans (No.2)

EDM number 117 in 1989-90, proposed by Eddie Loyden on 29/11/1989.

That this House condemns the proposals to introduce student loans, which will drive all but the richest youth out of higher education; believes a colossal mood of anger is building up in the colleges against these proposals; congratulates the 40,000 students who marched against loans in Glasgow on 28th November; believes this indicates a massive movement of students which could, if linked with workers, force the Government to back down; urges the Metropolitan Police to give permission to South Bank Polytechnic Students Union for its initiative in calling a second term demo in London on 1st February, which is already backed by the London National Union of Students and if backed by the National Union of Students nationally could be 100,000 strong; believes a national shutdown of education one week later on 8th February, approaching college unions for joint strike action, would provide the basis for defeating loans and putting an end to this particular attack on education; calls on Her Majesty's Government to reinstate higher education grants to 1979 levels, to be non-means tested and aiming towards a living grant of two-thirds average wage for 52 weeks a year with a minimum weekly grant of ú35 for all students over 16 years and a massive expansion of education which would be free to all; and looks forward to the return of a Labour government as the best way to defend students and education as a whole.

This motion has been signed by a total of 45 MPs.