The potential implications of Starmer’s reversal on tuition fees for the Labour party

Sir Keir Starmer has announced that he will abandon Labour’s commitment to abolish the current £9,250 yearly tuition fees for English university students if Labour wins the next election. This policy exclusively pertains to students from England. In Scotland, university education is free for Scottish residents, while fees for “home” students in Northern Ireland are lower. The situation in Wales is slightly distinct from the other regions. When he ran for Labour leadership in 2020, Starmer made ten promises based on the moral reasoning for socialism, including “Support the abolition of tuition fees and invest in lifelong learning.” As a former member of Jeremy Corbyn’s shadow cabinet, the new leader was not prepared to make any drastic reversal on a popular Labour policy backed by its members.