Students to protest privatisation of student debt

[Socialist Party Head Office]

For any students or any other members who are interested. The message only
arrived today – Tuesday 19 November 2013 –

Tuesday 19 November 2013

For immediate release
Student Assembly Against Austerity Press Release

Students to hold national day of action to stop the privatisation of student
debt

Student activists will tomorrow (Wednesday 20 November) join a national day of
action to protest against the government's plans to privatise the student loan
book.

Student campaigners will be building opposition to the government's intentions
to sell off student debt to private companies before the next general election,
which has caused widespread concern on campuses that this will lead to an
increase in the financial burdens placed on students and graduates.

A secret report for the government has revealed that in order to make sure the
student loan book is profitable for private companies the cap on interest for
repayments would need to be increased or removed all together.

Actions will take place on 25 campuses across Britain, including open air
rallies, creative stunts, direct action and mass petitioning demanding that MPs
pledge to oppose the student debt sell off.

NUS Black Students' Officer and spokesperson for the Student Assembly Against
Austerity which is co-ordinating the national day of action said:

"The government's plan to sell off the student loan book to private companies is
the latest outrageous attack on students and education. We are clear that
privatisation of student debt will lead to higher interest rates and a higher
burden of debt placed upon graduates. It is essentially a retrospective hike in
tuition fees.

"We are determined to build a mass movement on every campus in the UK to stop
the government in its tracks and the protests happening on campuses across the
country on Wednesday 20 November are just the start of this campaign."

Sam Dathi a spokesperson for the Student Assembly Against Austerity added:

"It's amazing to see so many different campuses unite for this coming day of
action. The only way we're going to defeat the government's cruel and cynical
austerity programme is by building a broad, national movement that it can't
ignore."

Notes:

Please find the full details of the 25 local actions taking place on the
official Student Assembly Against Austerity facebook event here:
https://www.facebook.com/events/234623673369439/

In a speech to Parliament on 27 June 2013, Chief Secretary to the Treasury,
Danny Alexander, announced the government's plans to privatise the student loan
book:
https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/speech-by-chief-secretary-to-the-treasury
-danny-alexander-investing-in-britains-future

As part of the day of action students will be targeting MPs, demanding they sign
the Early Day Motion in Parliament opposing the privatisation of student loan
book: http://www.parliament.uk/edm/2013-14/542

For comment contact:
info@…
07900922766 or 07572 461556 another number
http://www.thestudentassembly.org.uk
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thestudentassembly
Twitter: @thestudentassem | #StopTheSellOff

 

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