In response to Councillor Mitchell (Opinion, February 3), I oppose an education honour to Lord Bassam on the grounds that he is a member of a Government which cynically promised students a free education, pledged not to charge tuition fees or top-up fees and promised to protect maintenance grants.
His government did introduce tuition fees, abandoned maintenance grants and, according to David Blunkett, would introduce top-up fees shortly after the election.
Secondly, what right has Lord Bassam to stand on the same platform as hundreds of students who have struggled to earn their degree?
Is he equally deserving as Dr Brian Smith, who received an honour for decades of service to the university? I think not. And so does the Students' Union, which opposed the award to Lord Bassam and was offered no say in the decision.
-David Gold, Prospective Parliamentary Candidate, Brighton Pavilion Conservative Association
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