Theresa May tackled the topic of tuition fees at the Conservative party conference in Manchester. In an attempt to woo younger voters, she said low-earning graduates would benefit from a delay in their student loan repayments. She also vowed to freeze fee levels.

Tuition fee repayment earnings threshold to rise to £25,000 Read more

We asked students whether the prime minister’s change of tack had won them over. Here’s what they had to say:

Ruby Dalziel, 20, from Nottingham: It’s just an attempt to win votes and I won’t be swayed

The Conservative party are keen to attract young voters because, after the last election, it was clear that we were drawn to Labour. So Theresa May is considering making the bracket [for earnings when you have to start paying your loan back] £25,000 as opposed to £21,000. This is of no interest to me whatsoever because the Tories lie and have done consistently. There is no reason for me to trust them. It’s an attempt to win votes and I won’t be swayed – Jeremy Corbyn all the way! There are many things the Tories could improve on – it’s not just about student life and I won’t be a student forever. Community is important to me, it’s not natural to have capitalist values and I don’t want to live in a world that is like that.

Carmen Kirkby, 20, from Plymouth: The Conservatives could not do anything that would make me vote for them

Student fees are way too expensive. I get frustrated because I am paying so much money but don’t always get much back, especially when you do an arts degree. Fees are so high and if you compare it to countries where university is free, it should be the case here. Education should be accessible. The Conservatives could not do anything that would change my mind and make me vote for them. They are a horrible party for breeding fake values.

Ashaana Bheir, from London: Jeremy Corbyn sounds like he is more for us

I don’t think you should have to pay for education and £9,000 [for tuition fees] is so much. If the Conservatives did something to make it cheaper then that would be good but there are some places in the world where it is free. I voted for Jeremy Corbyn at the last election because he sounds like he is more for us, and more for people really. Theresa May doesn’t seem to care. If she wants to change people’s opinions she should be more like Corbyn and make everything more suited for upcoming generations.

Kayley Castle, 18, at Manchester University: I don’t agree with getting rid of fees completely

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They say they will cap tuition fees but politicians have said stuff like that before and they’ve still gone up. I don’t believe anything is going to change. I don’t agree with getting rid of tuition fees completely because people on minimum wage would have to pay for people to go to top universities and then earn really good salaries. I do agree that they should be reduced in some way though. I support Labour at the moment. I don’t agree with the fundamental principles of the Tory government, so I don’t think I would ever support them.

James Vickery, 20, from Surrey: If she pulls it out the bag, then I would be really happy



Theresa May has more work to do to win over young voters. Corbyn gave us much more reason to see him as a good leader. She has now realised the error she made and is going back on herself, but she has more to do in my mind. It’s a step in the right direction but it is one thing to make a promise and another to follow it through and execute it. We will see, but if she pulls it out of the bag then I would be really happy – everyone would be.

Liam Kipling, 21, at Manchester University: I would only vote Tory if Corbyn was in charge

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The new announcement doesn’t really make much difference. The only thing the Tories could do that would make me vote for them is to put Corbyn in charge. He’s the only one that’s different. I don’t think tuition fees are a massive problem for people my age but it’s not nice being in so much debt. My debt will be £80,000 by the time I leave, plus inflation. It wouldn’t have stopped me going to university.

Ellie Ward-Thompson, 22, from Yorkshire: It does make the Conservatives a more attractive option

This is purely a response to how Jeremy Corbyn campaigned. He definitely got the vote of the younger generation by trying to tackle student debt. But I also don’t think his plans were very realistic. What he proposed could not have happened without the country being in serious debt ... Theresa May has a similar pipe dream but her plan is more realistic and in the right direction ... She has had some interesting ideas about pensions too but I am not sure it’s necessarily the answer. It does make the Conservatives a more attractive option as it’s much more level-headed. Labour tends to jump on things all guns blazing without taking into consideration the figures.

Ash Camyab, 18, from London: Labour is actually trying to make a genuine difference

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The new tuition fee announcements are not enough to tempt me to vote Tory. I’ve come to a decent university: I’m hoping to get a good job so I can pay my loan back anyway and Labour is trying to abolish tuition fees altogether. I know a lot of people who have just finished university and it is impossible to get housing. I want to live in London – it’s where I’m from – and it’s impossible to live in a nice area of London near to your work. The Tory government isn’t actually helping students, they just want to be able to say that they are. Labour is actually trying to make a genuine difference.

Ellie Harman-Taylor, 20, from Portsmouth: Who has been raising the fees in the first place?

It’s classic Tories. They are seeing Labour win over young voters and they think “we can do that too” but they are not going to. Who has been raising the fees in the first place? I had my loan cut by £2,000 this year and it’s not OK. Until real big things are done to change it I don’t care what they have to say.