In fairness that was both of those institutions’ arguments…..

2 of those institutions, I would say, are not like the others in that list……

The centrist dad in this trio of “current and former PX head of education” has entered the conversation :)

I’m really not defending all the system - the changes built on top of each other have made a real mess - but equally, I’m just not that sympathetic to higher earning grads to make an expensive change that I don’t think would work

Aren’t those two sides of the same coin, pun not intended? We don’t need to place that much regulation on the “selling” of a loan precisely because the safeguards are built into the system - no one is going to knock down your door and take your telly because you don’t pay back a student loan

I don’t wholly disagree with that (the presentation of no more than you pay back etc) actually - and I know the interest rate is unpopular, and I don’t think progressive always equals fair either!

I just think changing the interest rate would be very expensive, and actually not change ppl’s minds

Iain, while I don’t think the system is perfect, you more than almost anyone in the country know that this comparison to a credit card is wholly disingenuous, as in the relationship between the interest rate and the repayment. Come on…..

Except plan 2 is a “fairer” system by many of the metrics the campaign wants - a shorter repayment term and higher threshold for repayments. I suspect the plan 2 angst is that plan 2 borrowers are now just older and better paid

Even if I grant your premise (which I don’t particularly), we absolutely can give it the well ackshually, because prioritising feelings and vibes and over “things which will work and things which won’t” is how we get to a state that can’t do even basic things

Don’t get me wrong - the system is now a hideous mess. But this nascent campaign has all the hallmarks of a complex problem and a solution that is simple, neat and wrong

Also, I beg of you - we have seen this movie before, we know what happens when govt raises the threshold for repayment and moots cutting interest rates, and it does not lead to politicians being garnered with roses and high fived in the streets

Put another way - if student loan interest rates are higher than commercial lending and such a terrible deal, why are we not seeing a sweeping in of banks offering students an alternative product that is far more attractive?

(hint: cos it would be a terrible product that can’t compete with SLC)

And yes of *course* there’s more to do and of *course* there’s medium term shifts needed diplomacy/defence/security.

But honestly, the downside of numerous commentators wanting to See The Big Picture And Think Long Term is no one ever just says - you know what, immediate crisis averted, good job

Look: this take may age like sour milk, but this could be Starmer and the UK at its best - coordinating action with EU and others, not being bounced to precipitous action one way or the other. Sometimes foreign affairs does call for snap moves, but often it calls for judicious thinking more.

As you say: a pro business, gently tax cutting in the medium term only, pro Atlanticist but anti Trump, and critically pro youth party is where the winning ground surely is

The plus side of Labour factionalism is they know where the left flank is - whether it’s the Greens or Corbynism - and they’re happy to define themselves against it. The single best thing the Tories can do is define themselves against Reform, not case endless covetous gazes at them

The Temu Nobel Prize