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Bristol MP's "illiberal" opinion of students

27th May 2007

Embargoed until 00:01 hrs on 28th May

The Green Party in Bristol has condemned a local MP's call to limit the number of students in residential areas.

Stephen Williams, Liberal Democrat MP for Bristol West, is supporting a Commons campaign which would regulate the number of student properties in any one area. ^{[Note 1]}

Daniella Radice ^{[Note 2]}, speaking on behalf of the Green Party, commented:

"It doesn't seem very liberal to start telling people where they can and can't live. We in the Green Party value the contribution students make to the city's cultural life, not to mention the local economy.

"A recent study found that Bristol is the place people want to move to most in the whole country. We should be proud that people from all over the world want to come here.

"Stephen Williams himself has admitted he settled in Bristol after studying here. Yet now he's bowing to NIMBYism and trying to pull up the drawbridge after him!

"He obviously hasn't thought through the social and environmental impact of his proposals. Most students currently live within walking distance of their universities. Forcing them out into the suburbs would make Bristol's congestion problems even worse, and would penalise poorer students who would struggle to afford the bus fares.

"If there are problems with student houses, for example with rubbish collection, then we need to work with them to solve the problem - not condemn them as second-class citizens."

ENDS

Contact:

Daniella Radice, Tel. 0117 952 5796
Peter Goodwin (Green Party Press Officer) 01275 543280

Notes:

1. Stephen Williams' comments were published in an Evening Post report on May 21
2. Daniella Radice was the Green Party candidate in Ashley ward earlier this month, taking the Greens to second place, 110 votes short of the sitting LibDem councillor