General election: 4 July 2024

Building a fair and sustainable post-school education system: priorities for the next government

UCU general election manifesto 2024 [429kb]

Education is transformative - both for individuals and for wider society. Learning broadens our horizons, while improving our wellbeing and our productivity. It is a long-term investment in our economy, it is vital to our employers, and it will shape the future for everyone.

After the damage caused by more than a decade of real-terms cuts and marketisation, this manifesto outlines a series of proposals for radical reform, underpinned by a set of key principles, to ensure that we have an education system that works for everyone.

UCU Scotland priorities for the new UK government

UCU Scotland general election manifesto 2024 [407kb]

Higher education is devolved and many of UCU Scotland's demands are directed to the Scottish government rather than to the incoming Westminster government that will be elected in this UK general election.

Party manifestos and the political landscape

Ahead of the general election on Thursday 4 July 2024, UCU looked at how the main UK-wide political parties' promises on education stack up. On this page, we have highlighted the main manifesto pledges that each of the parties are making in relation to the priorities outlined in UCU's own manifesto.

UCU Scotland has also produced a run down of the higher education commitments of the various Scottish parties.

On 19 June we held a Reclaim HE live event, featuring UCU general secretary Jo Grady, PA industrial correspondent Alan Jones, Goldsmiths UCU branch and former Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer John McDonnell. We reflected upon UCU's demands for the next government and what UCU members can do to continue to push for the radical reform of education that we all need. You can watch a recording of the event below.

UCU general secretary Jo Grady also took part in a live event hosted by the CWU on the UK general election, with CWU general secretary Dave Ward and RMT general secretary Mick Lynch. You can watch a recording below.