Dear Editor-
I would like to draw readers’ attention to detail in Labour’s election document, ‘Building a Better Wales- 250 achievements from your Labour Assembly Government’. In this document, New Labour claim credit for the fact that Welsh students do not pay top up fees in Wales. I would like to emphasise that this cannot be perceived as a Labour victory. New Labour in Cardiff Bay were forced kicking and screaming in to accepting the deal. If the Education Minister, Jane Davidson had her way, the Rees Review suggestion of top up fees for Wales would have been implemented without question.
In an Assembly debate on the 24th of May 2005, opposition Parties rallied together to win a vote of 30 to 29 to rule out the introduction of top up fees in Wales. I was President of Aberystwyth Students Union at the time, and participated in discussions with all Political parties regarding top up fees. For Labour to claim credit for something with which they opposed in 2005 is at best misleading and at worst blatant hypocrisy. This shows a clear sign of desperation on Labour’s part! The students involved in the campaign in 2005 should be the only people to profess outright victory- for campaigning and lobbying AM’s at every opportunity to ensure that top up fees were ruled out in Wales.
In the run up to the Assembly elections in May, we must not let this issue fall by the wayside, as the tired and centralist Labour party is no doubt biding it’s time to follow the London Labour line of introducing top up fees in Wales post election. One thing is certain, Plaid will continue to campaign for free education, and for the rights of students in Wales.
Bethan Jenkins Plaid Candidate South Wales West
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