STUDENT leaders have attacked the Scottish National Party for betraying them over tuition fees, writes Catherine MacLeod, Chief Political Correspondent.
The row broke out yesterday after it emerged the SNP's education spokesman, Mr Andrew Welsh, failed during a debate in the Scottish Grand Committee on Wednesday to commit his party to abolishing student tuition fees.
Mr Douglas Trainer, president of the National Union of Students, said: ''We feel betrayed by the SNP's position to give up the fight for free tuition. The NUS has said for some time that a new funding system is needed. The SNP stuck to the rhetoric of the past and now has quickly crumbled.''
During the debate, Mr Welsh refused to be drawn when Scottish Education Minister Brian Wilson challenged him to commit the SNP to using the taxation powers of the Scottish Parliament to abolish fees.
Last night, an SNP spokesman insisted the party would abolish fees in an independent Scotland but could not make that commitment for the devolved Parliament as it was currently involved in its budget exercise.
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