In Tweets: 10 thoughts students are having on the UK 2017 General Elections
Corbyn and the Labour party Labour is popular among students, polls show. Source: Reuters/Peter Nicholls

Voters in the United Kingdom will go to the polls today for its general elections.

In the run-up to this election, an issue close to students’ heart, i.e. tuition fees, was finally brought to the headlines. This time around, students have a clear choice to vote from, thanks to the leading parties significantly different promises.

Labour’s manifesto says it will scrap tuition fees straight away, while the Conservatives will keep the system of fees (with students slated to pay the increased fee of £9,250 (US$11,983) a year from this September).

A young supporter carries a placard. Source: Reuters/Peter Nicholls.

With so much at stake for the country’s youth and its higher education system, what are students up to as the country goes to the polls?

We trawl Twitter to find out:

  1. 1. Labour🌹is getting more than twice the support than the Tories among the student population, according to this poll by ICM/Guardian Polling

2. But looking closer at the numbers, a gender divide cuts across students’ predicted voting patterns

3. Money talks, especially among broke students

https://twitter.com/LiarTory/status/872531382014275584

4. While Labour is popular, there are some #TeamMay

https://twitter.com/MichaelBailes93/status/872587986042593281

https://twitter.com/Malware_Blocker/status/868479046451163136

https://twitter.com/ManMaun/status/867993807081545729

5. Not for international students, though. The Tory manifesto pledges to keep students in net migration target and to “toughen the visa requirements for students” to make sure the UK maintains “high standards”

6. Suffice to say, current and future international students have a lot at stake for this election, too

https://twitter.com/sunsetsinframes/status/872598889588830209

7. Tuition, internationalisation, student nurses … with so much at stake, a lot of students cannot comprehend voting against their collective interest as students.

https://twitter.com/idkrxmany/status/872555614152646656

8. Though a word of caution is always good, as much as Labour’s proposed policies empower students and universities. We may forget what we learned in class, but we remember previous Labour leaders’ broken promises

https://twitter.com/Candour8/status/872555619676508160

9. Nonetheless, support for Labour and Corbyn (at least on Twitter) is loud and clear.

10. In short, there is A LOT riding on today’s polls and the future of students

https://twitter.com/AjayiOlatajayi/status/872507265529643008

Good luck, UK! May the best man prevail.

Liked this? Then you’ll love these…

US: New Yorkers can enjoy free tuition at state schools soon

In Tweets: What people say about Labour’s plan to axe tuition fees