Our response to the King’s Speech

Throughout their election campaign, we have welcomed Labour's recognition of the opportunities Higher Education creates across the country and the acknowledgement that the current Higher Education settlement does not work.

Yesterday, the King's Speech, which marks the State Opening of Parliament, saw the new government set out their priorities for the next parliamentary session.

Following the publication of our RGSU Student Manifesto in May - an ambitious document that outlined the crucial priorities essential for preserving the integrity of the UK's Higher Education sector and ensuring equitable opportunities for all students - we have been eagerly awaiting the new government's next steps for Higher Education.

Whilst the Speech did not touch on Higher Education specifically, we were glad to see the Government commit to continue to raise educational standards and break down barrier to opportunity. Priorities we have fore fronted in our manifesto.

We were incredibly encouraged to see their commitment to reforming the rental market to improve the rights of renters, modernising and prioritising mental health services, and ending both zero-hour contracts and fire and rehire practices. We know that these issues have a significant impact on our students and so we are hopeful that these actions will make a meaningful difference to their lives.

More broadly, we also welcome the government's desire to address the cost-of-living pressures experienced across the UK. Through seeking a new partnership with both businesses and working people in order to prioritise wealth creation for all communities, we are hopeful that students up and down the country will benefit from renewed economic growth.

However, we remain clear that more targeted interventions are required in order to meet the mounting barriers facing today's students. For too many of our students, affordability remains a significant barrier to participation, hindering not only academic pursuits but also overall wellbeing. We therefore restate our ask that the new government commits to an overhaul of student maintenance support.

Finally, echoing the asks made by NUS and Student Minds, we ask that the new government ensures that the student voice is embedded at each stage of policymaking over the next five years. Without this commitment, we risk students being erased from the very matters that pertain to them.