Thank heavens for that

[brixtonbrood]

The higher education minister has finally come out and said the truth behind the anti-spin - a loan that you don't have to repay unless you're earning a certain amount is almost indistinguishable from a tax. They're also going to try to inform the general population that the new style tuition fees will not have to be paid in advance, which seems from the various vox pops I've seen to be a widely held misconception amongst children of non-graduate parents. It's yet another disastrous bit of PR for redistribution/means-testing, right up there with pension credits (do you remember the woman pensioner who was very nearly imprisoned for non-payment of a council tax bill she was mostly exempt from anyway).
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/4304774.stm