Gazump

Labour has announced its big policy for the election: a universal student allowance, to be introduced gradually over the next four years by raising the parental income threshhold. This will be expensive - $210 million a year eventualy - and some may argue that we can't afford it at present. But the current arrangements, which deny assistance to the vast majority of students, are fundamentally unfair. No-one should have to borrow to eat in this country, and erasing that obscenity is well worth the price.