Pressure on Britain’s student‑loan system mounted as campaigners, opposition politicians and ministers traded barbs over proposed reforms to Plan 2 loans. Consumer advocate Martin Lewis has publicly challenged Conservative proposals and pressed ministers for clearer fixes; Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson defended the government’s decision to freeze the repayment threshold and said the average monthly increase will be about £8. The debate has expanded to party politics and the media, with policymakers promising further reviews even as graduates warn frozen thresholds and accrual rules will push repayment burdens higher and affect work decisions.