SNP’s free university offer ridiculed

The SNP has been derided for vowing to scrap tuition fees for English students in an independent Scotland – but only if the UK axes them.

Nicola Sturgeon made the “ludicrous” claim despite overwhelming legal opinion that EU law would force them to ditch the charges anyway.

The party has pledged to follow the UK’s policy on charging tuition fees in an independent Scotland.

Addressing a public meeting in Dumfries, the Deputy First Minister insisted Scotland would retain the right to charge the fees. But then she vowed to get rid of the charges for English students if the Government of what remained of the UK followed suit. Critics have accused Miss Sturgeon of “saying anything” to win over doubting voters in the weeks leading up to September’s crunch vote.

Better Together’s Prof Jim Gallagher, research fellow at Nuffield College, Oxford, said: “The SNP appear to be happy to say anything to try to get people to buy into independence. An independent Scotland charging English students tuition fees is completely contrary to EU law.”

Fees from British students are worth around £150m a year to Scots universities and have been at the centre of a funding row. Academic institutions have raised concerns over funding the shortfall if an independent Scotland was forced to drop fees.

However, the SNP have maintained this is not an issue as they would never have to fund the gap.

Miss Sturgeon’s comments were also attacked by Tory Liz Smith.

She said: “This confirms, yet again, that the SNP is all over the place when it comes to the funding of higher education. It is ludicrous that Nicola Sturgeon seems to be suggesting that an independent Scotland would decide its funding policy according to what happens at Westminster.”

The SNP-led administration says students from the rest of the UK would still pay £9,000 tuition fees in the event of a Yes vote, even though Scottish students and those from the rest of the EU would continue to be entitled to free education.

The Yes camp believes it will be able to see off an expectant legal challenge but a string of experts, including EU Commissioner for Education Androulla Vassiliou, have said the fees idea is not feasible.

It is feared tens of thousands of students from the rest of the UK would swamp Scottish universities in a bid to avoid tuition fees south of the Border.

Asked if tuition fees would be protected in an independent Scotland, Miss Sturgeon said: “Right now, we have to charge English students tuition fees as their Government chooses to charge them and we would continue that in an independent Scotland we would be allowed to do that under European law.

“If we had 10% of all students in England over to here, then 80% of our own people’s places at university would be under threat.

“We would waive the charges if the Government down in England also chose to waive them.