Johann Lamont hits out at university funding

SCOTTISH Labour leader Johann Lamont will today claim that the generous funding of universities and free tuition in Scotland is “savaging” further education colleges, in a fresh assault on the SNP government’s priorities.

Lamont faces down a Labour rebellion. Picture: Greg MacVean

In her address to the Scottish party conference in Inverness, Mrs Lamont will argue that, if elected as first minister in 2016, a Labour government will “not pay for opportunity for some while denying opportunity for others”. She will say: “The savaging of the college system to fund universities has been a disgrace.”

The speech comes after Mrs Lamont has previously questioned the SNP’s offer of free tuition to all university students in Scotland – which stands in stark contrast to England, where undergraduates will soon be charged up to £9,000 a year.

University funding has been largely protected from cutbacks in the Scottish budget this year with ministers opting to spend more than £1 billion on funding.

With the Scottish budget being squeezed, Labour has claimed it is FE Colleges which are paying the price.