The Future Is In Your Hands

Liverpool Guild of Students 160 Mount Pleasant, L3 5TR +44 (0) 151 794 6868 www.liverpoolguild.org

Charity Number: 1137398 Comapny Number: 07324992

Student Handbook

Candidate responses to the Liverpool Student Manifesto.

We’ve joined forced with two students’ unions to launch a joint Liverpool Student Manifesto to campaign and lobby on in the run up to the General Election.

Teaming up with Liverpool Hope students’ union and Liverpool students’ union, we’ve collectively asked you which student-related issues matter most to you in readiness for a campaign trail throughout the elections which take place on May 7, 2015.

Our ‘top ten’ manifesto has been created to represent the main priorities for students across the city.

We asked the following Candidates in the Riverside and Wavertree wards to state their position on each of the priorities listed in the Manifesto.

Riverside: Joe Chiffers (UKIP)*

Wavertree: Luciana Berger (Labour)*

Paul Childs (Lib Dem)

Peter Cranie (Green)*

Martin Dobson (Green)*

Leo Evans (Lib Dem)*

Louise Ellman (Labour)*

Adam Heatherington (UKIP Niamh McCarthy (Independent)*

Tony Mulhearn (TUSC)* James Pearson (Conservative Party) Jackson Ng (Conservative)* Dave Walsh (TUSC)*

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Click on the priorities below to read the responses we received.

Please note not all the candidates responded.

6. We want political parties to show they care what young people think by committing to lowering the voting age to 16.

7. We want government to scrap 1. We want government to phase out tuition fees and restore public funding letting agent fees so that students are clear on the costs of renting from the to universities and colleges. beginning, and are able to spread their 2. We want government to ensure that costs across the year. work pays enough to live.

8. We want government to protect in law the rights of all students to 3. We want government to make a independent representation in a commitment to public education by students’ union and the right to ensuring that no penny of public funding goes to for-profit providers of independent redress where students feel that they have not been fairly education. treated.

4. We want government to protect 9. We want local authorities to be given and improve the Disabled Students a statutory requirement and adequate Allowance. funding to provide local youth services.

5. We want the next government to 10. We want political parties to put an reverse the NHS Bill, go back to the end to playing politics with our worlddrawing board, and ensure that we have a National Health Service that is leading education system and scrap public, accountable and fit for purpose the use of arbitrary net migration targets. for the next century and beyond.

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We want government to phase out tuition fees and restore public funding to universities and colleges.

Liverpool Wavertree Candidates Peter Cranie (Green) This is consistent with Green policy.

We believe that as in Scotland and in Germany (where fees were recently phased out) it is possible to have Higher Education that does not place the financial burden onto students.

Should Labour become the largest party and reduce tuition fees, they have pledged to make up the funding to universities. What people may not know is that there are likely to be strings attached. This should not become a backdoor route into cutting HE funding.

support for students during their studies via increased maintenance grants. We also propose a weekly payment scheme for students from low income families to support them in travelling to or from college and in the buying of educational materials.

Liverpool Riverside Candidates

Tony Mulhearn (TUSC) I can give you categorical assurance that if elected I will vote and campaign for the demands you have itemised.

Naturally I believe that your demands can easily be met if the wealth of this country was fairly distributed rather than concentrated in the hands of the top one per cent of money grubbing Luciana Berger (Labour) fat cats who are currently enriching The broken promise on tuition fees themselves at the expense of the 99%, means graduates start their working lives with more than £44,000 of debt. and who are evading paying tax on an And almost three quarters of students industrial scale. will never pay their loan back in full. To However, unlike all the other parties, ease the burden of debt on our young I believe that this will require a people we’ll cut tuition fees to £6,000 fundamental shift in the ownership and control of the economy, with the banks and increase grants by £400 from and the privatised utilities being taken September 2016. into public ownership. On that basis the wealth of the country could fund a Niamh McCarthy (Independent) socialist plan which would provide the We are in favour of the removal of tuition fees and want to provide greater resources, not only for students, but for 4

all the social provision currently under financial assistance for living costs attack. is an important start. I support campaigning to improve on this but Louise Ellman (Labour) I think it is unrealistic to promise to As both Higher and Further Education eliminate tuition fees while funding an require additional finance and wider expanding education service for all. participation, reductions in tuition One way forward could be considering fees must not result in less funding a graduate tax as an alternative. The for universities and colleges. Both promised reduction in tuition fees academic and vocational students would be paid for by restructuring tax require better financial support. relief on pension contributions for the Against that background, Labour’s highest earners and clamping down commitment to reducing tuition on tax avoidance. I agree with these fees from £9,000 pa to £6,000 from priorities.

September 2016 and increasing 5

To ensure that work pays enough to live, we want political parties to commit to a living wage by raising the income tax threshold to the equivalent of a full-time salary at Living Wage. We want the next government to introduce and enforce legislation that all work experience of over four weeks should be paid at least national minimum wage. We want government to signal a move towards an equal national minimum wage by raising the apprentice minimum wage to the same rate as the minimum wage for 18–20 year olds. employers to pay the Living Wage, by offering tax rebates for firms that become Living Wage employers in the Luciana Berger (Labour) Life has got harder for young people in first year of a Labour government. recent years. Young people’s average Niamh McCarthy (Independent) wages have fallen more than eight We are in favour of increasing the per cent since 2010, further than any minimum wage to that of a living other group. In the last Parliament, wage, so that people are able to I produced a report with local MPs, George Howarth and Alison McGovern support themselves from one called Young People and Employment, minimum wage job. We want better pay for apprenticeships and so this that highlighted many concerns of is something we would potentially young people across the city region who are on zero hours contracts. There support. We would also like to increase the support received by those not has also been a sharp rise in zerohours contracts, and the disadvantage continuing on into higher education, to make it easier for them to find young people face in the job market relative to adults has got worse. We will employment. make work pay, by banning exploitative zero-hours contracts, and we will ban Peter Cranie (Green) unpaid work experience lasting longer I agree with this pledge. The Greens want a living wage of £10 as a than four weeks. We will raise the National Minimum Wage to more than minimum wage by the end of the next £8 by October 2019. We will incentivise Parliament.

Liverpool Wavertree Candidates

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Liverpool Riverside Candidates Louise Ellman (Labour) These are important objectives.

Labour is committed to increasing the minimum wage to at least ÂŁ8.00ph by October 2019. Local authorities will have a role in enforcing this. The Living Wage will be promoted with Make Work Pay contracts in the first year of a Labour government. These will give tax rebates to businesses who pay the Living Wage. It will also be promoted through government procurement policies. Publicly listed companies will have to report on whether they pay the Living Wage. I agree there should be a mechanism to protect these increases from taxation. Labour will limit unpaid internships to 4 weeks.

country was fairly distributed rather than concentrated in the hands of the top one per cent of money grubbing fat cats who are currently enriching themselves at the expense of the 99%, and who are evading paying tax on an industrial scale.

However, unlike all the other parties, I believe that this will require a fundamental shift in the ownership and control of the economy, with the banks and the privatised utilities being taken into public ownership. On that basis the wealth of the country could fund a socialist plan which would provide the resources, not only for students, but for all the social provision currently under attack.

Tony Mulhearn (TUSC) I can give you categorical assurance that if elected I will vote and campaign for the demands you have itemised.

Naturally I believe that your demands can easily be met if the wealth of this

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We want government to make a commitment to public education by ensuring that no penny of public funding goes to for-profit providers of education.

Liverpool Wavertree Candidates Niamh McCarthy (Independent) Our aim is to remove the education system and the curriculum from the hands of business people and politicians and to place it in the hands of professionals within the field, who are likely to possess a greater understanding and interest in what is needed. Therefore we aim to ensure the government makes a commitment to public education and guarantees that no money from public funding will go to for-profit providers of education.

underestimated - the logical next step of David Cameron’s Free School project is to allow schools to be run for profit.

Only Labour will end the Free School programme and ensure that no school is run for profit.

Liverpool Riverside Candidates Tony Mulhearn (TUSC) I can give you categorical assurance that if elected I will vote and campaign for the demands you have itemised.

Naturally I believe that your demands can easily be met if the wealth of this country was fairly distributed rather Peter Cranie (Green) than concentrated in the hands of the Again this is consistent with Green policy. In order to move towards a more top one per cent of money grubbing fat cats who are currently enriching equal society, we need a world class, publicly funded education system, not themselves at the expense of the 99%, and who are evading paying tax on an just world class private education for industrial scale. those who are able to afford it.

Luciana Berger (Labour) Labour is unequivocal in its rejection of the profit schools model that has done so much damage to education standards and raised inequality elsewhere. However, the Tory threat to education on this issue cannot be 8

However, unlike all the other parties, I believe that this will require a fundamental shift in the ownership and control of the economy, with the banks and the privatised utilities being taken into public ownership. On that basis the wealth of the country could fund a

an ‘outstanding’ rating by Ofsted. We will legislate to make the ÂŁ700 million currently received by private schools in business rates relief conditional on them forming a partnership with state schools. We will also require Louise Ellman (Labour) I support publicly funded education private schools to demonstrate they are supporting state education, as a vital public service. Labour will protect education, improve standards through providing qualified teachers for all and increase under 5s provision. in specialist subjects to state schools, sharing expertise to help state school I am concerned that the wording of students get into top universities this manifesto commitment could exclude access to specialist services and running joint extra-curricular not otherwise available. There are also programmes where the state schools third sector providers. All schools will are equal partners, such as sport and debating. be required to partner with weaker schools as a condition for attaining socialist plan which would provide the resources, not only for students, but for all the social provision currently under attack.

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We want government to protect and improve the Disabled Students Allowance.

Liverpool Wavertree Candidates Peter Cranie (Green) I agree with this. I have students that I teach who will be affected by these cuts. Oliver’s Social model of disability shows that if we don’t adapt society, people who are disabled are discriminated against.

Liverpool Riverside Candidates

Louise Ellman (Labour) I agree DSA should be protected.

I campaigned with NUS against the government’s plans to abolish DSA. The opposition resulted in the government postponing their plans. I attended the launch of NUS’s campaign in Liverpool and raised this Niamh McCarthy (Independent) in parliament. Support for disabled The protection and improvement of the students is an important part of Disabled Students Allowance would equality in accessing education. It come under our aim to improve the must be adequate and targeted. monetary support given to students during their time in higher education Tony Mulhearn (TUSC) and is something we believe in.

I can give you categorical assurance that if elected I will vote and campaign Luciana Berger (Labour) for the demands you have itemised.

Labour’s plan for a better future for Naturally I believe that your demands disabled people includes a commitment can easily be met if the wealth of this to ensure young disabled people have country was fairly distributed rather the same chances as non-disabled than concentrated in the hands of the people to study for the vocational top one per cent of money grubbing or degree qualifications that lead to fat cats who are currently enriching decent jobs. Labour challenged the last themselves at the expense of the 99%, government’s plans to axe the Disabled and who are evading paying tax on an Students Allowance (DSA) and we will industrial scale. review support for disabled university students on coming into government.

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However, unlike all the other parties, I believe that this will require a fundamental shift in the ownership and control of the economy, with the banks and the privatised utilities being taken into public ownership. On that basis the wealth of the country could fund a socialist plan which would provide the resources, not only for students, but for all the social provision currently under attack.

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We want the next government to reverse the NHS Bill, go back to the drawing board, and ensure that we have a National Health Service that is public, accountable and fit for purpose for the next century and beyond.

Liverpool Wavertree Candidates Luciana Berger (Labour) Labour is determined to rescue our NHS and rebuild it as a 21st Century health and care service. Labour’ will repeal the Health and Social Care Act - our first Queen’s Speech will bring forward a bill to restore the Secretary of State for Health’s historic duty to provide services free at the point of use. Labour will ensure that the NHS remains rooted in the values that underpinned its creation – co-operation and collaboration, not privatisation and fragmentation.

Central to rescuing the NHS and transforming services will be investing in more doctors and nurses so the NHS has time to care. We are committed to raising £2.5bn extra over and above the Conservatives’ plans – through a mansion tax on properties over £2m, tackling tax avoidance and a levy on tobacco firms – to invest in new staff and support service transformation.

Our plans include 20,000 more nurses and 8,000 more GPs, helping to ease

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the pressure in hospitals and provide better care outside hospital.

Niamh McCarthy (Independent) We are against any privatisation of the NHS and want it to remain in the hands of the public. We would see an increase in funding and a health service run by people with medical backgrounds rather than business people or politicians with no medical experience, in order to ensure the future of the service.

Peter Cranie (Green) This is Green Party policy Liverpool Riverside Candidates Tony Mulhearn (TUSC) I can give you categorical assurance that if elected I will vote and campaign for the demands you have itemised.

Naturally I believe that your demands can easily be met if the wealth of this country was fairly distributed rather than concentrated in the hands of the top one per cent of money grubbing

fat cats who are currently enriching themselves at the expense of the 99%, and who are evading paying tax on an industrial scale.

However, unlike all the other parties, I believe that this will require a fundamental shift in the ownership and control of the economy, with the banks and the privatised utilities being taken into public ownership. On that basis the wealth of the country could fund a socialist plan which would provide the resources, not only for students, but for all the social provision currently under attack.

Public health promotion is important in preventing ill health. Poverty must be challenged – it is closely linked to illness. Accountability at a local level must be improved, including giving more power to local authority health and well-being boards. Commitments for the next parliament include 8,000 more GPs, 20,000 more nurses, 3,000 more midwives. This will be paid for by a mansion tax on homes worth £2 million or more, a levy on tobacco firms and a crackdown on tax avoidance.

Louise Ellman (Labour) Labour will repeal the pernicious Health and Social Care Act which is based on promoting competition and privatisation at the expense of the NHS. Supporting our NHS for the future with services free at the point of use includes addressing challenges presented by an ageing population, making new treatments available, funding mental health services properly and integrating health and social care.

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We want political parties to show they care what young people think by committing to lowering the voting age to 16.

Liverpool Wavertree Candidates Niamh McCarthy (Independent) We believe that political education, i.e. education on the workings of the political system and unbiased teachings on the political parties, should be improved before a lowering of the voting age is considered. Being young people ourselves we appreciate the lack of political representation afforded to us and the prejudices against us but are also able to admit that we knew little of the political world before we ourselves sought the information. We would suggest greater political education in order to reduce the possibility of young voters being influenced by those around them.

However should this be achieved we would support a lowering of the voting age to give young people a greater voice.

all UK elections. We’ll also improve the curriculum for citizenship education so young people have the knowledge they need to play a full part in British society.

Liverpool Riverside Candidates Louise Ellman (Labour) Labour supports votes for 16 year olds. 1.5 million 16 and 17 year olds will get the vote from May 2016 under Labour proposals. Political education in schools must be improved and initiatives such as schools councils and school parliaments encouraged. One recent example of good practice is the work done by the Schools Parliament in Liverpool with Merseytravel to develop a cheaper travel card. MPs and local councillors were involved in the campaign.

Tony Mulhearn (TUSC) I can give you categorical assurance Peter Cranie (Green) that if elected I will vote and campaign The Greens support this. for the demands you have itemised.

Naturally I believe that your demands Luciana Berger (Labour) A Labour government will act to ensure can easily be met if the wealth of this every voice is heard in our democracy. country was fairly distributed rather than concentrated in the hands of the We will widen the franchise so that top one per cent of money grubbing 16-18 year olds will be given a say in 14

fat cats who are currently enriching themselves at the expense of the 99%, and who are evading paying tax on an industrial scale.

However, unlike all the other parties, I believe that this will require a fundamental shift in the ownership and control of the economy, with the banks and the privatised utilities being taken into public ownership. On that basis the wealth of the country could fund a socialist plan which would provide the resources, not only for students, but for all the social provision currently under attack.

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We want government to scrap letting agent fees so that students are clear on the costs of renting from the beginning, and are able to spread their costs across the year.

Liverpool Wavertree Candidates

Liverpool Riverside Candidates

Luciana Berger (Labour) Too many students are struggling with the rising cost of renting and with the insecurity and uncertainty built into the rental market. As well as rising rents – up on average by £1,020 a year since 2010 – letting agents' fees of up to £500 every time someone moves house are a real problem. We will ban letting agents from charging fees to tenants – saving renters who enter a new tenancy an average £350.

Louise Ellman (Labour) 11 million people, including students, are renting property. More attention should be given to the current crisis, as well as providing more homes for the future. Labour will ban letting fees to tenants, create 3 year tenancies with rents frozen and challenge rogue landlords. I welcome Liverpool City Council’s Landlord Licensing Scheme.

Tony Mulhearn (TUSC) I can give you categorical assurance that if elected I will vote and campaign Peter Cranie (Green) This is a sensible policy which I would for the demands you have itemised.

Naturally I believe that your demands support. can easily be met if the wealth of this country was fairly distributed rather Niamh McCarthy (Independent) than concentrated in the hands of the We want to ensure that individuals top one per cent of money grubbing know the entire cost of rent before fat cats who are currently enriching they make a commitment, so that themselves at the expense of the 99%, they are able to spread their costs efficiently throughout the course of the and who are evading paying tax on an year. Therefore we aim to protect the industrial scale. interests of students and low income However, unlike all the other parties, families by introducing rent caps to I believe that this will require a prevent land lords taking advantage. fundamental shift in the ownership and 16

control of the economy, with the banks and the privatised utilities being taken into public ownership. On that basis the wealth of the country could fund a socialist plan which would provide the resources, not only for students, but for all the social provision currently under attack.

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We want government to protect in law the rights of all students to independent representation in a students’ union and the right to independent redress where students feel that they have not been fairly treated.

Liverpool Wavertree Candidates Peter Cranie (Green) We support this right.

Luciana Berger (Labour) I sat on the NUS NEC and believe passionately in the important role student unions play in representing students’ interests. The legal requirement that student unions are independent from universities and the right to appeal to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator are important in ensuring that students who feel that they have been unfairly treated have access to redress. A Labour Government will enable students to continue to work in the interests of their members, including by replacing the lobbying act with a tougher statutory register of lobbyists that does not gag campaigning organisations.

Niamh McCarthy (Independent) We are strong supporters that young people have a voice and we have a right for our political views to be addressed. Therefore we support 18

the rights of all students to have independent representation in a student union, and would aim for this to be legalised so that young people are recognised and considered in the wider view of politics. In the occurrence that students feel they have been treated unfairly, we believe that independent representation will provide students with the opportunity to productively speak out about their mistreatment and be able to sort out the issues rather than having to suffer in silence.

Liverpool Riverside Candidates Tony Mulhearn (TUSC) I can give you categorical assurance that if elected I will vote and campaign for the demands you have itemised.

Naturally I believe that your demands can easily be met if the wealth of this country was fairly distributed rather than concentrated in the hands of the top one per cent of money grubbing fat cats who are currently enriching themselves at the expense of the 99%, and who are evading paying tax on an industrial scale.

However, unlike all the other parties, I believe that this will require a fundamental shift in the ownership and control of the economy, with the banks and the privatised utilities being taken into public ownership. On that basis the wealth of the country could fund a socialist plan which would provide the resources, not only for students, but for all the social provision currently under attack.

Louise Ellman (Labour) These rights are protected in the 1994 Education Acts upheld by the last Labour government. They should be maintained. I would like to know more about this issue.

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We want local authorities to be given a statutory requirement and adequate funding to provide local youth services.

Liverpool Wavertree Candidates Niamh McCarthy (Independent) Youth services are extremely valuable and important as they promote a closer relationship within the community and also develop skills such as confidence.

However the support and funding they need is often concentrated in other areas, we hope to support the proposal of providing more good quality local youth services as we believe they are extremely useful to the community.

Peter Cranie (Green) Under Green plans, we would be putting £10 billion back into Local Authorities. Under Labour’s plans, there are a further £500 million of savings to be made. For Liverpool, the Green plan would mean £156 million back into council control which could go some (but not all) of the way to reversing the worst of the coalition cuts over the last five years. We will pay for this by upping the higher rate of tax to 60% and other policies that will bring in additional revenue from those who have the most wealth.

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Luciana Berger (Labour) Labour believes youth services play an important role supporting and developing young people. In Government we will review the provision of youth services to ensure that they are high quality and accessible. The review will examine innovative approaches to youth services and how to ensure young people have the power to shape the design and delivery of services in their area.

Liverpool Riverside Candidates Louise Ellman (Labour) I agree the youth service should be statutory and be properly funded.

Recent savage cuts on councils like Liverpool who have lost 58% of government funding have harmed the youth service. Labour will implement fairer, 3 year funding agreements. I support the proposals for better provision for the 50% of young people who do not pursue the traditional academic route. We will introduce the Technical Baccalaureate vocational award for 16-18 year olds.

Tony Mulhearn (TUSC) I can give you categorical assurance that if elected I will vote and campaign for the demands you have itemised.

Naturally I believe that your demands can easily be met if the wealth of this country was fairly distributed rather than concentrated in the hands of the top one per cent of money grubbing fat cats who are currently enriching themselves at the expense of the 99%, and who are evading paying tax on an industrial scale.

However, unlike all the other parties, I believe that this will require a fundamental shift in the ownership and control of the economy, with the banks and the privatised utilities being taken into public ownership. On that basis the wealth of the country could fund a socialist plan which would provide the resources, not only for students, but for all the social provision currently under attack.

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We want political parties to put an end to playing politics with our world-leading education system and scrap the use of arbitrary net migration targets.

Liverpool Wavertree Candidates

Niamh McCarthy (Independent) Nelson Mandela once said "Education Luciana Berger (Labour) is the most powerful weapon which We will have a smarter system of you can use to change the world." controls and targets for different kinds We believe in this and that’s why of immigration. With this approach our educational aim is simple. Young we get the top talent and investment people need to be aware they our country needs, whilst controlling have the power to become active low skilled migration. We will apply full democratic citizens and be able to and strengthened transitional controls use the tools in their hands to raise to restrict the movement of workers their voice. Therefore we want our to the UK from any future countries world class education system to be joining the EU. We will retain the cap appreciated and for our young people on non-EU economic migrants and to use it to their full advantage. The permanently close the route for lowway immigration is spoken about skilled non-EU migrants. needs to change however, because it demonises immigrants who provide At the same time we don’t want to excellent services and skills to our set targets that harm Britain, such country, alongside distracting people as by putting international university from those who are actually causing students in the same category as low the lower wages and the rising skilled migrants. Higher education unemployment. is one of Britain’s biggest exports worth over £10 billion a year. Here Peter Cranie (Green) in Liverpool we welcome thousands The target approach is impractical and of international students who bring doesn’t work. Education is actually so much to the city. That’s why we a British export market that earns called on the Government to remove money to help us balance the books in university students from the net migration target.

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Louise Ellman (Labour) I have made representations on this issue. Many students and other gifted people have been deterred from coming to the UK by the cap Liverpool Riverside Candidates on numbers and hostile comments about immigrants. This is unfair to Tony Mulhearn (TUSC) the individual and means that the I can give you categorical assurance economy of the UK loses out. It is part that if elected I will vote and campaign of a very unpleasant denigration of for the demands you have itemised. anything seen as ‘foreign’. I oppose this Naturally I believe that your demands approach. Labour will remove student can easily be met if the wealth of this numbers from net migration counts. country was fairly distributed rather than concentrated in the hands of the top one per cent of money grubbing fat cats who are currently enriching themselves at the expense of the 99%, and who are evading paying tax on an industrial scale. terms of international trade. Without incoming students our Balance of Payments situation (which is pretty dire already), will get worse.

However, unlike all the other parties, I believe that this will require a fundamental shift in the ownership and control of the economy, with the banks and the privatised utilities being taken into public ownership. On that basis the wealth of the country could fund a socialist plan which would provide the resources, not only for students, but for all the social provision currently under attack.

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Liverpool Guild of Students 160 Mount Pleasant, Liverpool L3 5TR

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