ALEX SALMOND RAILED AGAINST SENIOR TORY CALLS TO REINTRODUCE TUITION FEES IN SCOTLAND

"Any political party which tries to reintroduce tuition fees will see their support evaporate like a foggy dew under the light of the sun.”

Former First Minister and Alba Party leader, Alex Salmond, has warned rival political parties that their support will “evaporate” if they attempt to reintroduce tuition fees to Scottish students. 

His warning comes after a senior Scottish Tory called for cross party review of universal free tuition in Scotland. 

Liz Smith, the Scottish Tory finance spokeswoman has restated her demand for politicians to debate the issue. Her remarks follow Tory leadership contender Brian Whittle’s call for the Conservatives to ask 'hard questions' involving tuition fees and free prescriptions. 

A graduate endowment scheme was brought in under the Labour/Lib Dem executive in 2001/02, when the payment was set at £2,000, payable the April after graduation.

Alex Salmond's first SNP Government scrapped the graduate endowment after winning the Holyrood election in 2007 and since then Scottish students have not paid fees. 

In November 2014 Mr Salmond said "the rocks would melt with the sun" before he would allow fees to be introduced for young Scots.

In blog published today by Reform Scotland, a Think Tank Chaired by former First Minister Lord Jack McConnell, Tory MSP Liz Smith has attacked Alex Salmond as she called for a rethink of free education in Scotland. 

Writing in the blog she says “ Throughout my time in Holyrood, I have consistently called for a cross-party, open and frank debate about the future of higher education funding. Far too many politicians have had their heads firmly in the sand for far too long, just hoping that the problem will go away. Well, it won’t. Alex Salmond’s rocks are well and truly melting in the sun." 

She added that “it is perfectly reasonable to expect some sharing of the cost” by students attending University. 

Mr Salmond has long supported the policy of free education since he introduced it 17 years ago. Alba Party say that by the start of this University year three quarters of a million young people will have benefited since 2007. 

Commenting, former First Minister and Alba Party leader, Alex Salmond, said;

"As First Minister,  I did say that “the rocks would melt with the sun” before we allow unionist parties - Tory or Labour - to take away the right to free education in Scotland. It has been a huge success with an increase of 30 per cent in SCOTTISH domiciled students going to college and university.

“Calls by the Scottish Tory Party to reintroduce Labour’s tax on Scottish education shows the risks of what we can expect if we lose a pro independence majority at the next Holyrood elections. 

“Any political party which tries to reintroduce tuition fees will see their support evaporate like a foggy dew under the light of the sun, just what befell the Liberal Dems in England when they betrayed young people. Higher education is one of the great success stories of the Scottish economy and society over the last 15 years.

“Meanwhile, south of the border, the student loans system is in meltdown and young people are emerging to take their place in society with an albatross of many tens of thousands of pounds of debt around their necks.

“Instead of moving the dial backwards, we should be powering forward with a further huge expansion of Scottish higher education."

This can be done in three ways;

“Firstly, Scotland should control and expand the entry of overseas students into our higher education sector. In addition these skilled youngsters should be encouraged to live and work in Scotland at least for a period after graduation.

‘Secondly, although Scottish entries into university have been rapidly expanding overall, my successors introduced unreasonable caps in key subject areas. These should now be lifted and every qualified student should be offered a place.

“Thirdly, there should be a national bursary scheme for working class youngsters without the requisite formal qualifications, but who have graduated through the Saltire awards or other schemes recognising voluntary work, to enrol in our top universities after a foundation course.

“Liz Smith should know better, she’s been in the Parliament long enough right back to when the Tories pretended to oppose tuition fees. Instead of a return to the dark days of Labour/Tory politics pricing Scotland’s young people out of university and college we should be seeking consensus across the Parliament to secure the further powers over international student access required for future success and further expansion of, higher education.”