“Before the election I pledged to oppose an increase in tuition fees and unlike the Lib Dems I’ll be keeping that promise.

The Coalition’s proposals will mean that English Universities, like Nottingham and Nottingham Trent, will have the highest fees of any public university system in the industrialised world and they will be among the worst publicly funded.

Labour supports a partnership in higher education with both the taxpayer and graduates making a fair contribution.

The Government is withdrawing 80% of public money for most university courses and transferring the whole cost of degrees onto those students, saddling them with huge debts.

Research shows that middle income earners, like teachers and nurses and especially women graduates, are expected to be hardest hit under the plans, paying proportionally more of their incomes and lifetime earnings than high earners.

I’m concerned that not only will students be forced to choose the course they can afford rather than the course that is right for them; but also many talented young people will simply feel that a University education is out of their reach.

We don’t think that the Coalition’s proposals are sustainable, fair or progressive.”