Where they stand on Vince Cable's Graduate Tax - For & Against

For

Vince Cable

LibDems (presumably)

National Union of Students (with caveats)

4 of the 5 candidates for the Labour leadership (not David Milliband)

University Alliance (who have lots of students but not so much research, and who were the first to set out a substantive case for a "Graduate Contribution Scheme")

Against

Lots of Conservatives (judging by Conservative Home blogger and Daily Telegraph blog, leaks to BBC etc)

Russell Group universities (the big, glamorous research-intensive universities)

David Milliband (who probably will be the next Labour leader)

Tony Blair & Howard Newby (presumably, since they are the ones who Labour candidates are saying blocked the idea in 2003)

The Times (in an editorial today)

Conclusion

The more right-wing you are, the less you like the idea. [Update: This is confirmed by a poll of grassroots activists.]

More later - please comment anyone else you know about

Comments

[MSc Management]

If I were to study for an MSc Management postgrad degree would I be liable for the graduate tax or would I pay fees up front (as is the case now), and how does the government propose to collect the tax from graduates who work abroad after their degree?

[William Cullerne Bown]

I think the answer to these questions is, "no one knows". It's a kite from Vince at the moment, not a proposal - though I suspect the million+ group and others are working on more detail.