Student groups oppose rector Kennedy

The Liberal Democrat MP has already sought to distance himself from his party's support for a tuition fees increase in England by standing as an independent.

However, although he has the support of the student unions and he personally voted against the rise, two political groups at the university have said they're unlikely to vote for the former Westminster Liberal Democrat leader in the rector's ballot next month.

Joseph McFadden, chair of Glasgow University's Labour Club, said: "We were very pleased when he voted against tuition fees but he is still part of the party that pushed it through. People in the Liberal Democrats used his position as rector in the general election campaign so we can't back him."

McFadden acknowledged Kennedy was in a difficult position, but said he had failed to convince the rest of his party to vote against the rise in fees. "He is running his campaign, not as a Liberal Democrat, but very much as an alumni so he might be able to portray himself as Charles Kennedy the man.

"But there will be people who will play on the fact he is a Lib Dem and his party has been responsible for the raise in tuition fees in England.

"Even in Glasgow it was something people felt very strongly about."

Ross McFarlane, president of Glasgow University Conservative and Union Association, said his group would not support Kennedy if he campaigned on an anti-fees platform. He said: "He has been a very good rector but he went against fees. If that's going to be part of his campaign then we are absolutely not going to back that."

However, the National Union of Students Scotland praised Kennedy. President Liam Burns said: "The final decision is obviously down to Glasgow students but on the issue of fees, Charles Kennedy has got a good record.

"University rectors should be there to stand up for students and to protect them at the local and national level. Having kept his pledge and disobeyed his own party to vote against fees, he has done just that."

At the James Bridie Memorial Dinner at the annual Glasgow University Union (GUU) Daft Friday Ball last month, the Highlands MP confirmed he would seek a second term and said he had the formal backing of the three principal student bodies; the GUU, the Queen Margaret Union and the Sports Association. However, he said he would be standing on an "independent" basis, and added: "I do not see the rectorship as being an essentially party political role."

Kennedy could not be reached for comment this weekend.