I find this trope irritating also. A majority of people in every generation didn't get to go to university at all. In the times of "free" university, 75-90% of 18 yr olds didn't go, but their taxes subsidised the (overwhelmingly middle class, wealthy) people who went for "free".
"Free" university is regressive - it is a subsidy paid by all thru general taxation for a service whose benefits are disproportionately consumed by the wealthy and middle class. That it is seen as radically progressive is a nice illustration of the power of leaders & framing
If you want to reply saying "you're a hypocrite because you got the benefit you want to take away from others" I'll say this: I'd happily pay more in tax for subsidies to end fees & restore full maintenance grants for students from poorer backgronds, & pay more for better FE too
But it isn't hypocritical to say the policy was wrong when I benefitted from it and remains wrong now
