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David Lammy MP on lack of black students at best unis
04 November 2010
Labour MP David Lammy has argued that more needs to be done to increase the number of black students at the UK’s most prestigious universities, following the government's announcement of new reforms to higher education, .
He highlighted that there are more black students at London Metropolitan University - an old polytechnic with a lower employment record for new graduates - than in all the 20 esteemed Russell Group universities put together. Lammy told MPs in a parliamentary debate yesterday that only one black Caribbean student was admitted to Oxford University last year.
He went on to argue that fee increases proposed by the government may serve to discourage black and minority ethnic (BME) students from going to university. He added that under the new reforms universities should be given tough commitments on widening access and should receive penalties if they do not meet this commitment.
Responding to Lammy, further education minister John Hayes MP acknowledged that the small numbers of black students at Russell Group universities is “a cause for concern”, adding that he thinks it should be an issue the government should look into further.
You can read a summary of the full debate on our parliamentary blog. Runnymede also provided a briefing on BME representation in higher education for parliamentarians ahead of the event. To see a copy please email vicki@runnymedetrust.org
