The Steve Smith/Aaron Porter Debate

These are the tweets I sent from the debate between Steve Smith, president of UUK, and Aaron Porter, president of the NUS, about HE funding. They are presented in chronological order.

Smith claims we "underinvest in HE", and doesn't think it should be privatised. #smithporter #solidarity #ukuncut

Browne review "utilitarian", says Porter. #smithporter #solidarity #ukuncut

Porter: individuals, businesses and the economy should ALL contribute to HE. #smithporter #solidarity #ukuncut

Q: with a £50m forum project unrequested,how do you guarantee student fees are spent on the best interests of students #smithporter #ukuncut

Smith: openness with guild, focus on research. Porter: much opacity exists still. #smithporter #solidarity #ukuncut

Q: should the NUS put more effort into telling poorer students the debt is bot[not] as they see it? #smithporter #solidarity #ukuncut

Porter: NUS will explain system, but figure is still daunting. #smithporter #solidarity #ukuncut

Telegraph allegations of secret NUS talks were unfair - Porter #smithporter #solidarity

Cable's advisor tried to discredit us ... Disgusting. - Porter #smithporter #solidarity

£335m invested in Exeter is based on zero increase in fees. Balancing the loss. -Smith #smithporter #solidarity

Poorer universities may have to charge less, problems arise -Porter. #smithporter #solidarity

[Porter:] Universities can't just stand still with tripled fees. #smithporter #solidarity

Q: What can I do now? #smithporter #solidarity

Future governments may act, show it's unpalatable. - Porter. #smithporter #solidarity

Question on the consumerisation of education. #smithporter #solidarity

Smith: Education should not be influenced by how it's funded. #smithporter #solidarity

Smith: Important to hold universities to account. #smithporter #solidarity

Porter: Unis should be responsible without direct funding from students. #smithporter #solidarity

Porter: Recovery through growth, not just cutting. Education is key. #smithporter #solidarity

Q: Previous privatisations have required governing bodies. One needed here? #smithporter #solidarity

Porter: We can't stand back and allow this without regulation. #smithporter #solidarity

Office for Fair Access run by "two men and a dog". Needs more teeth - Porter. #smithporter #solidarity

Smith: there will be more regulation. This is the right thing. #smithporter #solidarity

Smith: Number one problem, attainment. #smithporter #solidarity

Q: how will tuition fees help science degrees when they have links with businesses? #smithporter #solidarity

Smith: businesses do not put much into degrees. #smithporter #solidarity

Porter: international students show us our future. #smithporter #solidarity

Porter: UCAS received calls from international students asking whether their fees going up 3x as well. #smithporter #solidarity

Q: Is U of E best placed to endorse a two tier system when it doesn't represent the interests of other Unis that may close. #smithporter

Smith: policy of UUK agreed unanimously at every board meeting. #smithporter #solidarity

I believe no universities will close - Smith. #smithporter #solidarity

Social mobility different at each uni -floor. #smithporter #solidarity

Porter: "No fees" tactic didn't win '98 or '06, and there was not enough scrutiny. #smithporter #solidarity

The 60% of people who do not go to university should not pay the entirety of the costs of the 40% that do - Porter. #smithporter

Q: why is this debate closed to non-uni students? Why were we denied banners? #smithporter #solidarity #ukuncut

Smith: I have no knowledge. This was organised by the Guild. #smithporter #solidarity

Final question: funding low, accessibility low. Big disparity in Unis. Will gap between Unis get worse? #smithporter #solidarity

Porter: people may have to stay local. Subject choice may be influenced by future jobs, not personal preference. #smithporter #solidarity

Smith: earnings better with degrees, fear the "elite" Unis may have to spend much to bring small group of smart poor students. #smithporter

Smith: poorer social classes attain less generally; this is the battle we should fight. #smithporter #solidarity

Steve Smith receives the pledge from @ExeterOccupied. #smithporter #solidarity