Thanet Reach has several occupants – the most important which being Thanet Campus, our own university college. Built, as I never tire of reminding people, with money from the Labour Government on land donated by the Labour Council, the Campus continues to go from strength to strength. The Tories called Thanet Reach a white elephant - Labour used it to build a University!

The Tories are against Labour’s commitment to ensuring 50% of young people benefit from a university education

"I wouldn't dream of having a numerical target. It's crazy to chivvy people into university when they are not suited to it."

Boris Johnson, The Times Higher Education Supplement, January 27 2006

The huge investment in education in South Thanet, does not just stop at the new University – it can be seen in the new building work undertaken across the constituency. South Thanet has recently seen Ellington School for girls and Newington Junior School completely rebuilt, Charles Dickens and St Georges await major refurbishments and Dane Court is looking forward to a complete rebuild in the new year. New buildings, new equipment and even brand new schools are there for all to see that the labour Government is delivering for our kids.

This investment in educational facilities across South Thanet comes from an understanding that Britain can only succeed in a rapidly changing world if we develop the skills of our young people to the fullest possible extent, allowing them to carry out world class research and scholarship, and apply both knowledge and skills to create an innovative and competitive economy.

The Labour government is, therefore, committed to keeping all young people in education or training until the age of 18, so that they have every opportunity to learn the skills to succeed in an ever more competitive world. We believe that these changes are needed because the collapse in unskilled jobs in the economy means that young school leavers are increasingly unemployable.

The Tories have failed to back Labour’s radical plans to give every young person the chance to stay on at school, go to college, get an apprenticeship or training until their 18th birthday, despite Labour’s plans being supported by the TUC and CBI.

"Just passing a law making it compulsory for them to stay on till 18 is the lazy way of solving the problem. It would also cost a lot of money"

David Willets, Daily Mail, 10 November 2006

A final note -

The Conservative record on Higher Education is shameful.

• Under the last Conservative government, funding per student fell 36% between 89 and 97
• Labour is committed to maintaining the level of funding per student as numbers rise.
• Labour has increased funding of higher education by 23% since 1997.