Westminster is counting the costs of higher education following a campaign stunt carried out by the UK Youth Parliament (UKYP) last week which saw over 9000 £1 coins carrying stickers enter circulation.

Westminster is counting the costs of higher education following a campaign stunt carried out by the UK Youth Parliament (UKYP) last week which saw over 9000 £1 coins carrying stickers enter circulation.

The stickers read ‘Free for all,’ and are designed to raise awareness among MPs and the general public of rising university tuition fees.

They have begun their travels in Westminster thanks to the aid of MPs who have joined the UKYP in the fight to abolish university fees south of the border.

The 9000 coins represent the total cost of an undergraduate degree, with the annual cost in England and Northern Ireland reaching £3145, though Wales has a cap at £1255 for Welsh students, and Scotland offers free tuition to native Scots.

The stunt is the latest step in the campaign initiated in 2006 by James Greenhalgh, member of the youth parliament for East Staffordshire. He hopes that the message will “hit the PM in the pocket.”

“No one can say you shouldn’t be allowed to get an education because of your social status or wealth,” Greenhalgh told Student.

He believes the Scottish system, which he describes as “brilliant”, proves that free education is feasible for all UK students.

Further, Greenhalgh says the extension of the policy to the rest of the UK would give Scottish students more freedom to choose their tertiary institution, rather than being compelled to remain in Scotland.

The National Union of Students’ (NUS) policy points to business as a viable source of education funding, given its greater dependence on a graduate workforce, in response to claims that individual students should contribute more to their own education.

However NUS President Wes Streeting has declined to call for free higher education, stating that it is unlikely to be achieved on a UK level.

Greenhalgh told Student that he believes students are contributing by footing their living costs.

“You’ve got to contribute in some way. It takes commitment to live on so little. If fees are abolished, people won’t start going to university for the hell of it.”

“University applications are not skyrocketing in Scotland and I think that’s a good indication for the rest of the UK.”

Labour entered British government in 1997 with the target of ensuring 50% of young people entered higher education by 2010.

Greenhalgh continued: “I don’t agree with targets, but the government have set up this target and they’re not meeting it.”

“Only 40% of young people are going to uni. The government is failing themselves and failing young people.”