Former Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy appeared to be leading the revolt last night against the coalition government’s plans to lift the cap on university fees in England.
The MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber acted as student leaders warned that Scottish universities could suffer if the radical plans proposed by former BP boss Lord Browne are backed.
Mr Kennedy said: “The Browne report is big and important and there is a lot in it that needs to be studied and still a lot to be discussed and debated.
“But as rector of Glasgow University, I will be standing by the NUS pledge I made on tuition fees before the general election.”
The students’ fear is that the reforms could increase the pressure for a reintroduction of the charging regime in Scotland.
Lord Browne’s proposals were endorsed in the Commons by Business Secretary Vince Cable yesterday – risking a parliamentary revolt among Lib Dem MPs.
Some are worried English institutions could charge as much as £12,000 a year for some courses, compared with £3,290 at present.
Graduates would also pay back loans at a much higher rate of interest.
The proposals could have a knock-on effect in Scotland because they could reduce finance from Westminster through the Scottish grant.
This would leave institutions north of the border facing competition from better-funded English ones and Scottish students would face the same fees regime if they followed a degree course south of the border.
Mr Cable announced he would bring forward proposals for a progressive graduate contribution along the lines proposed by Lord Browne.
Scottish Liberal Democrat MPs looked likely to be split between outright opposition or abstention – the latter is permitted in the coalition government agreement – and reluctant acceptance.
Gordon’s Malcolm Bruce said he and other Lib Dem MPs had signed a student pledge not to raise fees – but did not realise at the time the scale of the financial mess left by the Labour government.
Argyll and Bute’s Alan Reid said he would “wait and see” and Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross MP John Thurso wanted time to study the proposals.
West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine MP Sir Robert Smith was also waiting for the final package, saying he wanted “as progressive a solution as possible”.
The sole Lib Dem MP to support higher fees was Orkney and Shetland MP Alistair Carmichael, deputy government chief whip.
Robin Parker, president of Aberdeen University Students Association, said: “The UK Government is basically asking the next generation of students to foot the bill for devastating cuts to higher education.
“We’ll expect local politicians to stand up for local people and local students and vote against these proposals.”
The undertaking given by MPs who signed up to the NUS pledge was: “I pledge to vote against any increase in fees in the next parliament and to pressure the government to introduce a fairer alternative.”