Students on capital’s street in tuition fees protest

STUDENTS took to the streets of Edinburgh yesterday to protest against the increase in fees for English students studying in Scotland.

Around 200 protesters marched from the Scottish Parliament to the Scotland Office, seat of the UK government in Edinburgh, in a demonstration organised by Edinburgh University Students’ Association (EUSA).

They carried placards with slogans reading “No to 9k fees” and “R U Kidding” and chanted “No ifs, no buts, no education cuts” over the introduction of fees of £9,000 a year for some students.

Scots will continue to receive free higher education while those from the rest of the UK are set to pay £36,000 for a four-year degree course at the universities of Edinburgh and St Andrews. EU competition law means that students within the EU but outside the UK also go free.

Matt McPherson, EUSA President, said: “The Scottish Government were irresponsible with the decision they made to de-regulate fees for students from the rest of the UK and the UK government has turned its back on our generation’s future.”

“As borders to education are built up we will intensify our campaign to break them down.”

Ken Macintosh MSP, Scottish Labour’s shadow cabinet secretary for education, and a contender in their current leadership election, offered his support outside the Scottish Parliament building. He said: “Today is an opportunity for the SNP government to stop, listen to the powerful calls from Scotland’s students to change course.”