‘Talking right but acting left’: Labour hands HE the limelight

With levy-funded maintenance grants and 50 per cent target scrapped again, government’s vision for universities becomes clearer. But while rhetoric appears tough, experts see opportunities as education takes centre stage

Published on
October 3, 2025
Last updated
October 3, 2025
Patrick Jack
Delegates wave flags as Sir Keir Starmer, the British Prime Minister and leader of the Labour Party delivers his speech to several standing ovations at the 2025 Labour Party Conference on the 30 September 2025 in Liverpool, United Kingdom.
Source: Andrew Aitchison/In pictures via Getty Images
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Reader's comments (1)

#1 Submitted by p.... on October 3, 2025 - 8:25am
I think this is quite a good analysis of the politcs behind the policy announcement myself and how it relates to the priorities of a Labour government (not for nothing does Sir Keit bang on endlessly about his tool-maker dad). I am not sure how it would work though. What if there isn't enough demand for the new maintenance grants for tech releated subjects and how will the numbers going to University be reduced? Will there be a cap on the number of loans or will the number of courses on offer be reduced? The consensus seems to be that these will primarily be Arts and Humanities?

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