Labour Criticised Over Tuition Fees Cap Plan

Labour's plans to reduce the cap on tuition fees in England have been criticised by university chiefs.

A group of vice-chancellors said reducing the limit from £9,000 to £6,000 would leave a £10bn hole in revenues over the next five years.

And in a letter to The Times, academics called on Labour leader Ed Miliband to scrap the plans.

Sir Christopher Snowden, vice-chancellor of the University of Surrey, said: "This is purely a pragmatic issue, that a policy is evolving on the hoof which is not really a practical policy going forward and the potential damage is colossal.

"I really feel Labour has missed the point here.

"If you talk to students and to many mums and dads, the £9,000 (fee) is no longer the key topic.

"It was when it was first introduced because people were very concerned about how this would map out.

"But the real issue is actually subsistence, the cost of living at university, particularly for students from lower socio-economic backgrounds.

"This hasn't been addressed at all by Labour."

Meanwhile, David Cameron announced the Conservatives would protect spending per pupil at English state schools if they won the general election.

The Prime Minister said that, with numbers of pupils rising, the policy commitment would mean more money going into schools overall.

"We've demonstrated in the past five years that we can protect the schools budget while reducing the deficit and we will do so again," he said.

"So I can tell you, with a Conservative government, the amount of money following your child into the school will not be cut. In Treasury speak, flat cash per pupil.

"And as the number of pupils in our schools is going up, that means the amount of money going into our schools will do so too."

Labour had earlier hit back after Monaco-based Boots boss Stefano Pessina said Mr Miliband's plans were "not helpful for business, not helpful for the country and in the end it probably won't be helpful for them".

Shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna said voters would draw their own conclusions about business leaders who live abroad and do not pay tax in the UK intervening in British politics.

"It is important that the voice of business is heard during this general election campaign, not least on Europe," he said.