sotonjoe Posted 9 January, 2010 Share Posted 9 January, 2010 (edited) Latest Tory policy plan is to give free university places plus living cost grants of £5k per year to the children of servicemen who have died in active duty since 1990. link Sheer madness or a stroke of genius? Personally, seeing as the money will be taken from the money already set aside for widening participation (i.e. the fund that will allow brainy but poor kids have a chance at going to uni), I think it's a bad idea. I'd hate see someone who would have previously secured funding under the widening participation budget miss out to another candidate, just because the other candidate's Dad died in Afghanistan. On the other hand, you could argue that it's only going to cost a million or so, so it shouldn't make a huge impact. In that case, I think it a slightly crude attempt by the Tories to try and cash in on the wave of sympathy felt for the armed forces and gain extra votes. It could cost them relatively little, but could be a good bit of publicity for them. Edited 9 January, 2010 by sotonjoe link Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joesaint Posted 9 January, 2010 Share Posted 9 January, 2010 I think its a great idea, and a great way of giving somthing to the kid which is usefull (unless its drama!!) only joking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thedelldays Posted 9 January, 2010 Share Posted 9 January, 2010 You could look at it many ways....any idea that gets more people to uni is a good one...maybe however, those people who want to go and do a proper uni course, i.e not "golf course management" and the like should be given that money. IMO, this is a ploy to jump on the back of the good feeling being felt towards the forces at the mo... you will find (and I have said this before on here) few personnel currently IN the forces who complain too much...sure you get grumbles about certain things as you would in all public departments...and you get the odd person going public on their complaints....what brings little ploys like this is, those not serving and have never served feel they should be offended for anything done against the forces or offended for what they do...why, I have no idea. you only have to look at the stick Jimmy Carr got about his joke regarding britain special olympians having more forces people within the numbers...not many (if at all) people from the forces actually had a problem with it...infact, the joke came from the guys at the rehibilitation centre in the midlands...the usual faceless do-gooders got all offended and outraged for no reason. poor move from the tory's imo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotonjoe Posted 9 January, 2010 Author Share Posted 9 January, 2010 any idea that gets more people to uni is a good one IMO, this is a ploy to jump on the back of the good feeling being felt towards the forces at the mo... Those are the salient points. The widening participation budget was set up to offer funding for thos who were intelligent enough to go to uni but couldn't afford it; that's the plan that helps ' anybody get to uni' and it already exists. But to cream off some of the cash just for kids of fallen servicemen seems at odds with the original idea, which was surely all about equal opportunities for everyone. I guess I believe that access to the funding should be decided upon academic merit and nothing else. I thoroughly agree with you about Tory bandwagon jumping and I think it's a little crass to be honest. It's almost as if the policy thinkers have been sat there watching the funeral parades of servicemen and wondering how to get the votes of all the people lining the streets. Nothing like cashing in on grief right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridge too far Posted 9 January, 2010 Share Posted 9 January, 2010 Why limit it to children of service personnel who have been killed (I assume it would apply if the child's mother had been killed in service too?) What about children of police officers / firefighters / paramedics who have been killed in service. Indeed what about the children of anyone killed whilst on public service? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotonjoe Posted 9 January, 2010 Author Share Posted 9 January, 2010 Why limit it to children of service personnel who have been killed (I assume it would apply if the child's mother had been killed in service too?) What about children of police officers / firefighters / paramedics who have been killed in service. Indeed what about the children of anyone killed whilst on public service? indeed, which is why they should just stick with using the pot of money in the way it was originally intended. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint_clark Posted 9 January, 2010 Share Posted 9 January, 2010 I assume they will only give these free places to people who have the necessary grades? I don't want to sound insensitive, but if ALL kids whose parent/s have died in the service get offered a free place, even if they are thick as two planks, then it is a ridiculous idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aintforever Posted 9 January, 2010 Share Posted 9 January, 2010 Just trying to win votes, little sense in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotonjoe Posted 9 January, 2010 Author Share Posted 9 January, 2010 I assume they will only give these free places to people who have the necessary grades? I don't want to sound insensitive, but if ALL kids whose parent/s have died in the service get offered a free place, even if they are thick as two planks, then it is a ridiculous idea. It's a scholarship which entitles them to no fees and a £5k per year grant for living expenses. They still have to go through the application system and gain an offer for a university place like everybody else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anothersaintinsouthsea Posted 9 January, 2010 Share Posted 9 January, 2010 jumping on the bandwagon IMO, most of those being killed in action seem to be young lads and you rarely hear of them having kids. I know I'm generalising but this policy will actually help very few people. if the tories really want to help out the families of those killed why not increase pensions, pay outs etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hamster Posted 9 January, 2010 Share Posted 9 January, 2010 If the tories get too carried away thinking thinking that the sun shines out of their backsides, they may end up with egg on their faces. The public aren't as stoopid as they think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
for_heaven's_Saint Posted 10 January, 2010 Share Posted 10 January, 2010 Without meaning to sound insensitive, children who's parents are separated or have passed away already get significantly more money than those who' parent live together and both work, which of course is fair enough, providing they need the money. I think that the student loans system is already floored as it is, as it doesn't look at each case individually enough, so this could just see more people awarded grants who don't actually need them, and others who do missing out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Bognor Posted 10 January, 2010 Share Posted 10 January, 2010 I think the tories are wrong on this and are clearly jumping on the band wagon. What I would like to see is the state funding of education in areas where there are a shortage of skills, which if addressed, would add value to UK PLC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joesaint Posted 10 January, 2010 Share Posted 10 January, 2010 If the tories get too carried away thinking thinking that the sun shines out of their backsides, they may end up with egg on their faces. The public aren't as stoopid as they think. Tony Blair and now Gordon, please anything else please. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGTL Posted 10 January, 2010 Share Posted 10 January, 2010 What about parents of kids who have been murdered, or killed in an accident? Where does it stop? Why should some children recieve free Uni education and others can't, for reasons which are totally out of both of their hands. Should be free for all or not at all. Just the tories looking for votes though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonManager Posted 10 January, 2010 Share Posted 10 January, 2010 Just yet another ill thought out, intelligence insulting, sound-bite, vote grabbing piece of sh1t from another politician. They are all the same, no matter what party. Vote for Ron - I'll sort 'em out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorpe-le-Saint Posted 10 January, 2010 Share Posted 10 January, 2010 What about the child of the armed forces member who doesn't get killed, but doesn't want to go to Uni? Do they get a 15/20k lump sum (most Uni courses are 3-4 yrs). I saw 'Dave' on the Andrew Marr show this morning: Lee Mack was right, he is like a 'cool' Geography teacher. Be interesting to see SRS's thoughts on this... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotonjoe Posted 10 January, 2010 Author Share Posted 10 January, 2010 I think the tories are wrong on this and are clearly jumping on the band wagon. What I would like to see is the state funding of education in areas where there are a shortage of skills, which if addressed, would add value to UK PLC. This is something mentioned by the LibDems in their policies. As well as abolishing university tuition fees for first degrees, they wish to offer increased funding to students applying in shortage subjects, so as to boost certain industries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilko Posted 10 January, 2010 Share Posted 10 January, 2010 More unashamed populism from the Tories. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotonjoe Posted 10 January, 2010 Author Share Posted 10 January, 2010 There's a billboard with David Cameron's ugly mug on it at the junction of Shirley Road and Waterloo Road. Somebody has painted over his pupils with white paint to make him look odd, as well as painting "*****" and "vote lib" on his shoulders. I lol'd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridge too far Posted 10 January, 2010 Share Posted 10 January, 2010 There's a billboard with David Cameron's ugly mug on it at the junction of Shirley Road and Waterloo Road. Somebody has painted over his pupils with white paint to make him look odd, as well as painting "*****" and "vote lib" on his shoulders. I lol'd. The photos had been airbrushed anyway, allegedly - so just embellishing existing 'art' maybe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ponty Posted 10 January, 2010 Share Posted 10 January, 2010 Anybody would want their pic airbrushed if they were blown up to a 12 feet tall portrait. I bet even GB gets the touch-up crew to get his eyes pointing in the same direction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotonjoe Posted 10 January, 2010 Author Share Posted 10 January, 2010 The photos had been airbrushed anyway, allegedly - so just embellishing existing 'art' maybe I'm not sure the Old Bill would see it like that, but it's good to see people getting involved in politics, no matter how small! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hypochondriac Posted 10 January, 2010 Share Posted 10 January, 2010 There's a billboard with David Cameron's ugly mug on it at the junction of Shirley Road and Waterloo Road. Somebody has painted over his pupils with white paint to make him look odd, as well as painting "*****" and "vote lib" on his shoulders. I lol'd. There's a good nursery on Waterloo road. Take your kids there :cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotonjoe Posted 10 January, 2010 Author Share Posted 10 January, 2010 There's a good nursery on Waterloo road. Take your kids there :cool: Do they do CRB checks? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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