Jeremy Corbyn has backed a wave of university strikes involving a walkout of 43,000 staff, telling his followers: ‘I stand with them’
Jeremy Corbyn yesterday backed a wave of university strikes that will disrupt the education of around a million students.
Supporting up to 43,000 lecturers and other staff who have walked out of institutions for eight days, the Labour leader vowed: ‘I stand with them.’
He endorsed the industrial action over pensions, pay and conditions as lectures were cancelled across 60 universities.
Jeremy Corbyn yesterday backed a wave of university strikes that will disrupt the education of around a million students. Pictured: Corbyn in Renishaw, Sheffield
Key segments of courses will be lost and students are missing tutorials and revision sessions ahead of January exams.
Mr Corbyn tweeted to his 2.2million followers: ‘University staff deserve fair pay, secure contracts, reasonable workloads and decent pensions. Labour will end the marketisation of education, and put staff and students first.’
Critics accused Mr Corbyn of ‘jumping on the bandwagon’ in a ‘desperate bid to revive a flagging election campaign’.
Chris McGovern, of the Campaign for Real Education, said the Labour leader ‘wants the country to live beyond its means’.
Mr Corbyn tweeted to his 2.2million followers: ‘University staff deserve fair pay, secure contracts, reasonable workloads and decent pensions. Labour will end the marketisation of education, and put staff and students first.’ Pictured: Corbyn at the West Nottinghamshire College Construction Centre in Ashfield