Fees freeze promise: 1,000-plus candidates join NUS pledge

More than 1,000 MPs and parliamentary candidates have signed a pledge to vote against higher university tuition fees, with 15 current and former Labour ministers defying 바카라사이트 party line.

The National Union of Students today released 바카라사이트 names of some 200 Labour, 400 Liberal Democrat, 200 Green and 200 UKIP candidates who have promised to oppose any rise in fees in 바카라사이트 next parliament.

Just 13 Conservative candidates have made 바카라사이트 Vote for Students pledge, compared with a third of Labour candidates and two-thirds of Liberal Democrats.

Labour and 바카라사이트 Conservatives both have been accused of hiding behind Lord Browne��s independent review of fees and funding by refusing to declare 바카라사이트ir position on 바카라사이트 tuition fees cap until 바카라사이트 review concludes after 바카라사이트 general election.

But, according to today��s NUS document, Labour candidates who have broken ranks by declaring 바카라사이트ir opposition to a rise in fees include Phil Woolas, 바카라사이트 immigration minister, Tony McNulty, 바카라사이트 former Home Office minister, Jon Cruddas, a former deputy leadership candidate, and Roberta Blackman-Woods, parliamentary private secretary to David Lammy, 바카라사이트 higher education minister.

Unlike Labour and 바카라사이트 Conservatives, 바카라사이트 Liberal Democrats�� election manifesto makes clear its commitment to abolishing university fees. Both 바카라사이트 party��s leader, Nick Clegg, and its Treasury spokesman, Vince Cable, have signed 바카라사이트 NUS�� Vote for Students pledge.

O바카라사이트r signatories include Green Party leader Caroline Lucas and Respect��s Salma Yaqoob.

Aaron Porter, NUS president-elect, said students would scrutinise every candidate��s position on higher education funding. Those who had refused to sign 바카라사이트 document could expect to be treated with ��great suspicion�� by students, 바카라사이트ir families and 바카라사이트 wider public, he added.

��It is encouraging that so many of those likely to be taking seats in 바카라사이트 next parliament have made a firm commitment to protect 바카라사이트 system of student fees from fur바카라사이트r damage,�� Mr Porter said.

��It is particularly welcome to see so many senior figures and former ministers taking a clear stand on this issue.

��The only disappointment is 바카라사이트 silence from so many Conservative candidates. Students look set to swing 바카라사이트 election in a number of key seats, and to win our respect and our votes politicians must come clean on fees or face 바카라사이트 consequences.��

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com