The logic that taxpayers should not pay for university students’ education if consistently applied should mean the healthy should not pay for the sick, those without children should not contribute to other children’s education, that the fire brigade should only be paid for by those whose houses are burnt down.

In fact, that one should only pay for that which one consumes. How does that relate to the Big Society, I wonder?

Does this therefore mean students aren’t part of the Big Society?

Is it right that we should burden young people with debts, probably in excess of £40,000, at a time in their lives when they are likely to have the need to maintain a mortgage as well as pay off this huge debt? This prospect is horrific.

I suspect many talented 18-year-olds will decide not to opt for this debt and therefore increase the number of jobless.

It is not beyond the realms of possibility that, with diminishing returns, a number of universities will close.

Losing well-educated students as well as universities is a situation which should not be tolerated by the Big Society.

Brian Wilson
Shorefields
Benfleet