Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch pledged to cap interest on some UK Plan 2 student loans issued between 2012 and 2023 at the Retail Prices Index (RPI), abandoning the current RPI+ up to 3% model. The proposal, targeted at roughly 5.8 million borrowers, was framed as a correction to what Badenoch described as an unfair charge burden. The commitment adds pressure to national debates over higher education affordability and repayment terms as parties position on student debt ahead of future elections. The proposal would lower interest costs relative to the current structure but raises fiscal and political questions about long‑term loan sustainability and budget tradeoffs. University finance officers and student-affordability advocates will be watching political developments closely; changes to repayment rules could shift graduate finances, enrollment decisions and public perceptions of higher education value.