Fred Mackintosh makes pledge to Edinburgh South voters on student fees

10.00.00am GMT Wed 3rd Feb 2010

Lib Dem parliamentary candidate for Edinburgh South, Fred Mackintosh, today signed a pledge to Edinburgh students ahead of the forthcoming general election that he will vote against any increase in tuition fees in England in the next parliament.

Fred Mackintosh signed the pledge at Edinburgh University Students' Association (EUSA) as part of a National Union of Students' (NUS) campaign to stop an increase in tuition fees in England. Tuition fees in England are currently under review and many believe this will result in an increase, widening the gap between Scottish and English universities. The two main political parties in England have refused to declare their position on top up fees until the review publishes its findings after the general election. NUS has promised students that they will name the MPs and candidates who don't sign the pledge.

The NUS pledge reads:

"We will vote against any increase in fees in the next parliament, and we will put pressure on the Government to introduce a fairer alternative to variable top-up fees"

Thomas Graham, Edinburgh University Students' Association President, said:

"We are delighted that Fred Mackintosh has such a firm commitment to ensure that fees don't go up south of the border. He recognises the damage that fees cause in England, the disadvantage it would give institutions in Scotland if they went up, and that Scots would simply be priced out of studying in England if they aren't already.

"This is an incredibly important issue for students. We do want to see our universities funded properly, but not at the expense of fairness and access to all."

Fred Mackintosh, Lib Dem parliamentary candidate for Edinburgh South, said:

"Tuition fees discourage people from entering higher education and in a year when both graduate unemployment and debt has increased it is a sick joke for Labour Ministers to suggest that students can afford to pay even higher fees. The Scottish Liberal Democrats abolished tuition fees for Scottish Students studying in Scotland in order to remove this disincentive to study. We can only hope that enough Liberal Democrat MPs will be elected at the general election to force a similar change of heart at Westminster."

Wes Streeting, NUS President, said:

"The vast majority of the general public is against higher fees, and although this review has been set up to report after the general election, voters deserve to know where their MP stands on this highly emotive issue.

"NUS believes that a university education should be free at the point of use, with graduates giving back to the system according to how much they earn. This would give universities double the amount of funding they currently receive, while allowing the children of poorer families to go to university without the fear of debt. It would also prevent the emergence of a market in higher education, where only the rich could afford to attend our most prestigious universities."