Studious opposition

Tuition fees are on the rise, as predicted preceding Thursday's vote. There are three key results of this action:

First of all, and they cannot be ignored, are the riots. As controversial as they were dramatic these overshadowed much of the press following the vote. Students showed that they had a protest voice, however the impact of this voice has not been felt yet.

Second it was the first truly divisive issue the coalition faced, losing much of it's majority within the vote. Liberal democrat's (largely those not in office) showed that if the issue was ideologically viable they would stand against the political agreement their party leaders made when they formed the coalition government.

However, the largest impact felt will be that on future students. Currently maintenance loans are barely enough to live on and so parents often have to top this up out of their own pockets. This comes as an unexpected expense to many lower middle class parents who can rarely afford to provide this extra money.

As the upper income level for grants decreases, an inevitable fact when costs are being saved and the price has risen, it is the richer level of the 'poor' that will be unable to afford higher education.

Therefore, although the actual cost of education will not rise until after graduation, the ability of a far higher number to gain a higher education at all will be impeded. It is that which is a tragedy.