SNP’s free tuition is starving colleges of cash, Johann Lamont claims

THE SNP’s flagship policy of free university tuition is starving colleges of cash, Labour leader Johann Lamont claimed in the final First Minister’s questions at Holyrood before Christmas today.

• Alex Salmond’s backing for free tuition attacked by Johann Lamont who claimed it was leading to ‘cuts in colleges

• SNP also attacked over half a million spent on trade mission to USA, including Salmond’s trip to Ryder Cup

• Salmond claimed trip had helped secure investment and jobs for Scots

Ms Lamont said that the SNP’s policy of free university education was leading to “cuts in colleges” as she attacked Alex Salmond’s backing for it.

However, Mr Salmond accused Ms Lamont of being part of a “Labour-Tory alliance” on the issue and said that she had a similar policy to David Cameron in supporting tuition fees.

Mr Salmond talked about the “Scottish tradition of free education” which he said the SNP would support “not just for Christmas, but for all time”.

Mr Lamont also used First Minister’s questions to attack the half a million pounds the SNP government spent on a trade mission led by Mr Salmond to the USA earlier this year, which included a visit to the Ryder Cup in Chicago.

The Labour leader said she was “not sure” what economic benefit the controversial trade visit had been to Scotland after Mr Salmond claimed it had helped secure investment and jobs for Scots.