Alliance have released their party manifesto for the General Election.
Politics affects all of us, but sometimes manifestos can be hard to understand. That's why we will be breaking down what the major parties' manifestos say about the issues that matter to students. We've had a look at the policies most relevant to students, apprentices and young people.
Here's what they've promised
- Votes at 16 and votes for anyone legally resident in NI.
- Review the funding model for universities and student finance.*
- Review the funding model for colleges and apprenticeships.*
- Review investment in skills.
- Trans-inclusive ban on conversion therapy across the UK and NI.
* in England so funding is passed on to spend in NI.
Here's what they're missing
- Not clear if party would extend Universal Credit benefit eligibility to students and apprentices.
- No mention of the delivering a Living Wage for Apprentices.
- No pledge to tackle soaring rents through introduction of rent controls, or abolishing rental guarantors.
- There’s a mention of a review of funding in colleges and universities, but nothing specific on uprating maintenance loans or maintenance funding for postgraduate students.
- No indication how the party would tackle low pay for students or apprentices in NI.
Other policies that they've promised
- Review the Apprenticeship Levy across the UK and ensure levy raised is spent in NI.
- Rejoin the Erasmus+ programme.
- Grant international students two years to find work after graduation.
- Ensure that levelling up funding addresses need for apprenticeship funding in NI.
- Progressive return of freedom of movement starting with e.g. a youth mobility scheme.
- Mutual recognition of qualifications between the UK and EU.
- Scrap the ban on dependents for those with a Health and Care Worker or student visa.
- Scrap anti-protest laws to support trade unions’ right to strike and organise.
- Boost research, innovation and skills across the whole of the UK.
- Boost integration and strengthen migrant and asylum seekers’ rights in NI.
- Abolish the Rwanda scheme.
- Attract greater level of funding from projects such as UK Research and Innovation.
- Introduce a progressive taxation system to tax the super wealthy.
- Commitment to a just energy transition to net zero and greater investment in renewables.
- Improve the tax-free childcare scheme.
- Reject trade deals which fail to protect or enhance human rights or the environment.
This week we're summarising the manifestos of all the parties in Northern Ireland as their manifestos are released — join the conversation on social media and make sure you're following NUS-USI to stay in the loop with all the summaries!
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