MP WARNS OF NEW TUITION FEE HIKE FOR CITY'S STUDENTS

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 21st Oct 2009

Up to 20,000* Southampton students risk huge increases in university tuition fees in eight months time if the Conservatives regain power, according to Bassett and Swaythling MP Sandra Gidley.

Sandra was speaking after the Conservatives said they may increase tuition fees to £7,000 if they take power at the next general election, which has to be held by June 2010.

That would see tuition fees for undergraduates more than double. Currently there is a cap of £3,300 in England and Wales. Sandra says such a rise would leave Southampton's youngsters graduating with more than £30,000 worth of debt, over a third higher than current levels.

Labour also plans to allow universities to charge more than at present if re-elected, according to Peter Mandelson, leaving students and their families with the Liberal Democrats as the only party who have made a commitment to scrapping tuition fees.

Commenting today from Westminster, Sandra said:

"I look around Southampton, and more and more I see young people returning from university with no job and a bank balance tens of thousands of pounds in the red. What sort of future is that?

"Labour and the Tories are showing their true colours. They don't care about young people - they just want to saddle them with staggering amounts of debt.

"University education should be free and everyone who has the ability should be able to go - and not put off by the cost.

"The Tories plan is deeply irresponsible in this current recession, when money is tight and jobs are scarce. We need to be getting more young people in to university, apprenticeships and training not fewer, which is exactly what will happen with the Conservatives' outrageous plan."

ENDS