Scots students ‘will have to pay if we stay in EU’

TUITION fees will have to be reintroduced for Scottish university students if Britain remains in the European Union, according to the official Leave campaign.

The SNP abolished tuition fees after it came to power in 2007. But rules imposed from Brussels don’t allow discrimination against other EU countries, which means fees also had to be axed for all students from other EU states.

Scottish Vote Leave today publishes research showing Scotland spends £86.7 million a year on free university education for students from other EU countries.

Its director, former Labour MP Tom Harris, said it will become ‘difficult to maintain’ free university education if Britain votes to stay in the EU in next month’s referendum.

His campaign is today launching a week-long drive to push the message that only Brexit – and the introduction of charges for students from EU countries – can guarantee the future of free university education in Scotland.

Mr Harris said: ‘If you want to have a situation where you can legally discriminate in favour of Scottish students – and I think most people think Scottish universities and institutions should favour Scottish applicants – we can’t do that under current EU law. We still want EU students to come here – we just want them to be treated the same as other overseas students.’

An SNP spokesman said: ‘This is a ridiculous and muddled intervention by Tom Harris. It’s clear the campaign to convince people in Scotland of the merits of leaving the EU is becoming increasingly desperate.’

John Edward of Scotland Stronger In Europe said: ‘This is a scare story, pure and simple. University education is free in Scotland and there is absolutely no prospect of that changing.’

At an event in London tomorrow, Nicola Sturgeon will urge English people to vote to stay in the EU.

Boorish Brexit – Pages 16-17