Labour’s candidate for Rochester and Strood, Lauren Edwards, has today demanded Kelly Tolhurst MP come clean on the consequences of the Conservatives’ latest announcement for students and staff at both the University of Kent and Canterbury Christ Church University.

It comes as the Tories today announced plans to scrap one in eight university courses in England to fund apprenticeships. The move could result in hundreds of job losses at universities across the country.

This is expected to include more than 260 courses and up to 2,105 jobs at the University of Kent and Canterbury Christ Church University, which both have campuses in Medway.

The University of Greenwich also has a Medway campus, meaning the total number of jobs at risk would be even higher.

Apprenticeships have been hollowed out under the Conservatives. Half as many young people under 19 are completing apprenticeships since 2015, and apprenticeship starts for under 19s have dropped 41% from 131,420 to 77,720.

Lauren Edwards, Labour’s candidate in Rochester and Strood, said:

“Kelly Tolhurst urgently needs to come clean on this latest half-baked announcement by the Conservatives.

Which courses at universities here in Kent are going to be cut? How many job losses will there be on our Medway campuses How many local businesses will feel the pinch as students stay away?

Earlier this year the University of Kent announced course closures due to financial challenges largely driven by the policies of this Conservative government, and this latest announcement from Rishi Sunak puts our highly valued local universities at further risk.”