Yes carried this comfortably, but the debate was less about cheaper university than about which university. Both sides kept circling the same target: degrees that voters judged worthless.
The most-respected Yes case set the tone: “Yes but for British students only”, with a demand that universities drop degrees that don't lead to recognised careers. Others made the broader case. One called education “a public good rather than a lifelong financial burden”, another wanted fees scrapped outright: “make it free”. A shorter voice marvelled at the jump from free to a huge debt in thirty years.
The No side's most-respected argument was a conditional: fees should fall only if student numbers do, on a German model of apprenticeships and vocational routes. Around it came a pitch for a sliding scale, cheaper for STEM and nursing, dearer for the rest. One No voter went further: “If anything they should be increased”. Another warned that a blanket cut shifts cost onto the taxpayer.
So the two camps shared more than the result suggests. Several Yes voters attached their own caveats about student numbers and subjects, and No voters spoke of cutting fees too, for the right courses. Neither side's arguments much defended the existing funding model beyond a few voices on universities' viability.
The verdict: a cut, yes, but voters on both sides wanted it aimed at the degrees they respect.
94 Opinions
Fees should only be cut if the number of students are cut. Too many go to university under our ‘one size fits all’ approach’ We should be like Germany where university is only for the most academic and all other school leavers either join an apprenticeship or enter vocational education.
Not every career needs a degree, and not every course delivers equal value. We should rationalise universities and courses, reduce fees for strategically important skills, and charge more for others. Expand apprenticeships and vocational training so funding reflects economic needs, employment prospects and value for money.
They should be cut for subjects that will benefit britains economy or fill gaps in the employment market, such as engineering and nursing. The fees should be increased for nonsense subject such as “gender studies”
Yes but for British students only. Also the universities need to get rid of some of these bullshit degrees that don't lead to recognised careers.
Universities are no longer places of education but places of political brainwashing. Many young people are voting with their feet and are choosing other avenues for their future.
University payments since Blair are quite simply a disgrace. All part of a ponzi scheme to support overpaid, over holidayed, over pensioned teaching/lecturing "profession" Edited
We should stop this focus that people need to go to Uni. The government should do more to support young people getting vocational skills and jobs. If universities cannot survive without the governement intervening then they need to change their business model.
No, and the government should urgently address the failing funding model that means most of our universities are dependent on overseas students.
If anything they should be increased to reduce the number of daft degrees
Education is a societal as well as an individual good. But there are some genuinely subtle issues here: many careers do not need a highly academic education, many university students aren't cut out for one, and many degrees are neither academically nor vocationally credible. Putting financial barriers in place has been poor response to these issues, so it's a Yes from me on the narrow question.