Some British universities warn Labour over tuition fees cuts

LONDON (Reuters) - Twenty British university bosses warned the opposition Labour Party on Monday that it should not cut student tuition fees if it wins the May 7 election. In a letter to The Times newspaper, vice chancellors from English universities including Exeter and Bristol, said a possible Labour plan to reduce tuition fees to 6,000 pounds from 9,000 pounds to would open up a 10 billion pound funding gap. "The result would be cuts to universities that would damage the economy, affect the quality of students' education, and set back work on widening access to higher education," the letter, signed by University of Surrey Vice-Chancellor Christopher Snowden said. The warning to Labour leader Ed Miliband, who is bidding to unseat Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron, comes after business leader Stefano Pessina, chief executive of Boots, said a win for the left-leaning party would be "a catastrophe" for Britain. (Reporting by Sarah Young; editing by Guy Faulconbridge)