Corbyn admits he had no idea how much it would cost when he told students he would 'deal with' their existing debts and DENIES the statement was meant to be a promise
Corbyn told NME magazine he wanted to help past students who have debts
But he admitted today he did not know how much the policy would cost Labour
And he insisted the pre-election vow had never been intended as a promise
By Tim Sculthorpe, Deputy Political Editor For Mailonline
PUBLISHED: 10:55, 23 July 2017 | UPDATED: 01:13, 24 July 2017

Jeremy Corbyn has admitted he had no idea how much it would cost when he told students he would 'deal with' their existing debts.

The Labour leader told students on the eve of the election he would find a way to slash their debt burden.

But after the June 8 poll Labour admitted wiping out the student loan book would cost £100billion.

Mr Corbyn today insisted he never intended to make a 'commitment' on clearing debts as he scrambled to defuse Tory claims he had betrayed his core supporters.

'I never made a commitment to clear debts' says Jeremy Corbyn

He told the BBC's Andrew Marr: 'I pointed out we had written the manifesto in a short space of time because there was a surprise election but that we would look at ways of reducing that debt burden, recognising that a lot of it is never going to be collected anyway and try and reduce that burden.'

'We never said we would completely abolish it because we were unaware of the size of it at the time,' he added.

Mr Corbyn said his shadow chancellor John McDonnell had a working group on the idea and that a policy announcement would be made soon.

In an interview with NME just days before polling day, Mr Corbyn said: 'And I don't see why those that had the historical misfortune to be at university during the £9,000 period should be burdened excessively compared to those that went before or those that come after.

'I will deal with it.'

The Labour leader told students on the eve of the election he would find a way to slash their debt burden but told Marr today the promise had been a 'commitment'

Universities minister Jo Johnson today said: 'Jeremy Corbyn and his top team made a welter of outlandish promises to young people during the election - including the abolition of student debt - that they are now shamelessly abandoning.

'The Labour party's policy platform for students is disintegrating before our eyes. It is becoming ever clearer that Jeremy Corbyn is looking to walk away from a host of undeliverable pre-election promises to students, making this the most blatant example of switch and bait in recent political history.

'Only the Conservatives have a clear plan to tackle our debts while investing in our future so that we can deliver economic security and high quality jobs for hard-working people across the country.'

On Wednesday, Theresa May called on Mr Corbyn to apologise for misleading young voters, some of whom may have supported him on the debt issue alone.

During Prime Minister's Questions she said: 'The leader of the Opposition vowed to deal with student debt, Labour were going to abolish student debt, now they say it wasn't a promise at all.

'Students know Labour can't be trusted on student fees.'

Labour pledged in their manifesto to abolish university tuition fees, and the following month Mr Corbyn went further by suggesting all graduate debt could also be wiped.

Last night the party was placed under renewed pressure over its student debt 'U-turn' last night after the Tories demanded an immediate apology from the party's schools supremo.

Shadow Education Secretary Angela Rayner was challenged to say sorry for ditching an Election pledge to wipe out graduate debt.

In the Commons last week, Ms Rayner sparked outrage among Conservatives by appearing to abandon the promise by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn during the campaign to 'deal' with existing student debt and reduce it.

The promise – along with a pledge to scrap tuition fees – was seen as a huge vote-winner for Labour among younger voters.

But Ms Rayner, seen as a potential future party leader by Labour colleagues, said, 'We have no plans to write off existing student debt', and claimed 'we never promised to do so'.

In a letter to her yesterday, Education Secretary Justine Greening called on her to apologise for abandoning a 'clear commitment to reduce the debts of millions of people'.

She wrote: 'In pretending that the Labour Party never intended to clear student debt, you are further misleading those who put their faith in you.'

Ms Greening also challenged the Labour spokesman to say what steps her party took during the Election campaign to 'rectify' the false impression given by Mr Corbyn to young voters.

The Education Secretary concluded: 'Given your party leader has campaigned under the banner of 'straight-talking honest politics', I look forward to your imminent apology and clarification.'

Labour hit back last night by insisting Mr Corbyn had never pledged to write off debts for students who had already graduated.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4722162/Corbyn-admits-no-cost-wiping-student-debts.html#ixzz4nn4KeZbt

And to say this was why young folks voted enmass for labour?

hehehe... Labour is the British version of APC.

kingkakaone:


hehehe...
Labour is the British version of APC.

Is it that bad?