An Early Day Motion (EDM) calling for a rethink on the cuts to adult learning received 63 signatures, making it one of the most signed motions in this parliamentary session. This level of support is particularly impressive given the limited time available to canvass MPs on the issue before parliament was dissolved, and highlights the depth of feeling which surrounds these controversial cuts.
EDM 851 stated:
‘That this House believes that further education colleges are central to improving the nation’s skills; shares the concerns of those working and studying in further education regarding the recently announced 24 per cent cuts to non-apprenticeship adult education funding in England; recognises that this will have a devastating effect on the sector and will shut the door on those sections of the community that rely on adult education the most; and therefore urges the Government to rethink this spending reduction which could threaten the future prospects of hundreds of thousands of people across the country.’
Primary sponsor of the EDM, Barry Sheerman, co-chair of the Skills Commission
The motion’s primary sponsor was Labour MP Barry Sheerman, who is co-chair of the Skills Commission, and other sponsors including Caroline Lucas MP of the Green Party and Jim Shannon of the Democratic Unionist Party. Crucially, the motion attracted cross-party backing with three Liberal Democrat signatories and support from a number of independents as well. Messages of support were received from several MPs who were unable to sign the EDM because of their ministerial role.
Caroline Lucas co-sponsored the EDM
Some MPs also lent their support to two other EDMs on further education cuts which had a more local focus – one was sponsored by George Galloway MP (Bradford West) and one by Keith Vaz MP (Leicester East).
The third co-sponsor, Jim Shannon
Parliament has now been dissolved as we approach the election, but the EDMs have all helped to raise awareness of the issue in parliament and the campaign partners will continue discussions on further education funding with whoever is elected in May.
63 MPs signed the EDM
| Name | Party | Constituency |
|---|---|---|
| Abbott, Diane | Labour Party | Hackney North and Stoke Newington |
| Ali, Rushanara | Labour Party | Bethnal Green and Bow |
| Allen, Graham | Labour Party | Nottingham North |
| Bayley, Hugh | Labour Party | York Central |
| Betts, Clive | Labour Party | Sheffield South East |
| Blomfield, Paul | Labour Party | Sheffield Central |
| Bottomley, Peter | Conservative Party | Worthing West |
| Campbell, Ronnie | Labour Party | Blyth Valley |
| Caton, Martin | Labour Party | Gower |
| Connarty, Michael | Labour Party | Linlithgow and East Falkirk |
| Crausby, David | Labour Party | Bolton North East |
| Cunningham, Jim | Labour Party | Coventry South |
| Cunningham, Tony | Labour Party | Workington |
| Doran, Frank | Labour Party | Aberdeen North |
| Ellman, Louise | Labour Party | Liverpool Riverside |
| Farrelly, Paul | Labour Party | Newcastle-under-Lyme |
| Field, Frank | Labour Party | Birkenhead |
| Fitzpatrick, Jim | Labour Party | Poplar and Limehouse |
| Flynn, Paul | Labour Party | Newport West |
| Galloway, George | Respect | Bradford West |
| Gapes, Mike | Labour Party | Ilford South |
| George, Andrew | Liberal Democrats | St Ives |
| Glindon, Mary | Labour Party | North Tyneside |
| Godsiff, Roger | Labour Party | Birmingham Hall Green |
| Hain, Peter | Labour Party | Neath |
| Hancock, Mike | INDEPENDENT | Portsmouth South |
| Hemming, John | Liberal Democrats | Birmingham Yardley |
| Hermon, Lady | INDEPENDENT | North Down |
| Hoey, Kate | Labour Party | Vauxhall |
| Hopkins, Kelvin | Labour Party | Luton North |
| Huppert, Julian | Liberal Democrats | Cambridge |
| Jackson, Glenda | Labour Party | Hampstead and Kilburn |
| Johnson, Alan | Labour Party | Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle |
| Kaufman, Gerald | Labour Party | Manchester Gorton |
| Leech, John | Liberal Democrats | Manchester Withington |
| Lewell-Buck, Emma | Labour Party | South Shields |
| Love, Andrew | Labour Party | Edmonton |
| Lucas, Caroline | Green Party | Brighton Pavilion |
| Marsden, Gordon | Labour Party | Blackpool South |
| McCrea, Dr William | Democratic Unionist Party | South Antrim |
| McDonnell, John | Labour Party | Hayes and Harlington |
| McGovern, Jim | Labour Party | Dundee West |
| McInnes, Liz | Labour Party | Heywood and Middleton |
| Meale, Alan | Labour Party | Mansfield |
| Mearns, Ian | Labour Party | Gateshead |
| Morrice, Graeme | Labour Party | Livingston |
| Morris, Grahame M | Labour Party | Easington |
| Mulholland, Greg | Liberal Democrats | Leeds North West |
| Qureshi, Yasmin | Labour Party | Bolton South East |
| Ruddock, Joan | Labour Party | Lewisham Deptford |
| Russell, Bob | Liberal Democrats | Colchester |
| Shannon, Jim | Democratic Unionist Party | Strangford |
| Sharma, Virendra | Labour Party | Ealing Southall |
| Sheerman, Barry | Labour Party | Huddersfield |
| Sheridan, Jim | Labour Party | Paisley and Renfrewshire North |
| Simpson, David | Democratic Unionist Party | Upper Bann |
| Skinner, Dennis | Labour Party | Bolsover |
| Stringer, Graham | Labour Party | Blackley and Broughton |
| Thornberry, Emily | Labour Party | Islington South and Finsbury |
| Vaz, Valerie | Labour Party | Walsall South |
| Walley, Joan | Labour Party | Stoke-on-Trent North |
| Williams, Mark | Liberal Democrats | Ceredigion |
| Woodward, Shaun | Labour Party | St Helen’s South and Whiston |