Labour election victory leaves universities hoping for change

Labour has swept to power in the UK, with universities now pushing incoming ministers to honour promises to “secure the future” of the sector.

Sir Keir Starmer’s party has returned to Downing Street for the first time in 14 years. During the six-week-long election campaign, Labour declined to rule out “bailouts” for institutions in trouble or raising tuition fees as it acknowledged the “crisis” in funding for institutions.

It now faces calls to act quickly amid fears a university could go under, with a rescue or transition fund and a change in narrative on international students on the sector’s wish list, along with tackling the thorny issue of fees.

An inflationary rise to about £9,750 a year has been mooted by some sector leaders but polling during the campaign from consultancy Public First showed this was one of the least popular education policy options among voters.

Labour’s 133-page manifesto, published on 13 June, gave little detail as to where it was heading on funding questions but did outline various commitments relevant to universities, including closer integration with other forms of skills training and confirmation that short-term funding cycles for research and development would be scrapped in favour of 10-year budgets.

Attention will now turn to who is handed the key ministerial positions relevant to higher education. Bridget Phillipson, who has served as shadow education secretary since 2021, was expected to be confirmed in the role in government. Peter Kyle was shadow science secretary and Matt Western held the post of shadow higher education minister in opposition.

The result spells the end of Conservative rule in the UK, although many of Rishi Sunak’s higher education policies may still be carried forward.

Next month the Office for Students is set to gain new powers to regulate universities over free speech, thanks to legislation passed in the last parliament, and the new lifelong learning loan is due to come to fruition next year but could still be delayed.

Labour has signalled a change in approach from the outgoing administration that consistently pushed a narrative of “rip-off degrees” and encouraged alternative routes into careers as well as becoming embroiled in various culture war battles with the sector. Mr Kyle said during the campaign that the “war against universities” would end under Labour.

tom.williams@timeshighereducation.com