Labour kicks off student engagement roundtables in the West Midlands

Labour kick off a series of student roundtables with students from Birmingham City, Coventry, Birmingham, Warwick, Aston, Newman and Wolverhampton universities to discuss the challenges faced by students during the current Covid crisis.

Kate Green Shadow Secretary of State for Education, along with Shadow University Minister Emma Hardy, and Liam Byrne MP for Birmingham Hodge Hill and Labour candidate for the West Midlands Mayoral election in May, will meet with students from across the region to hear about their experiences of university during the pandemic and their priorities for improving student experiences.

Kate Green MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Education, said:

“The government’s failure to control the spread of the virus is denying students the university experience they deserve, and many feel forgotten by this government. 

“From accessing student support services in lockdown to their learning experiences, I am looking forward to hearing from students about their top priorities both during the pandemic and long term.” 

Liam Byrne MP and Labour candidate for West Midlands Mayor, said:

“Our young people are extraordinary which is why we should be so determined to make sure our region is the best place in Britain to be a young person. 

“Yet right now students are being cheated out of the best years of their lives by Covid. They’re being let down with spiralling youth unemployment, poor mental health support and sky-high accommodation bills for student homes they’re not even allowed to live in.  

“That’s why we want to hear first-hand from students about their experiences and their priorities for our region and for our frontbench while they fight students’ corner in Parliament.”