NUS plans to 'name and shame' MPs who refuse to fight tuition fees

Edinburgh MPs are among those who could be be "named and shamed" by student leaders for refusing to sign a pledge opposing rises in tuition fees.

Student leaders from 85 higher education institutions across the UK have announced they will send a list of MPs who refuse to sign a pledge opposing rises in tuition fees to every student in an attempt put tuition fees at the forefront of the upcoming general election debate.

Nigel Griffiths, Labour MP for Edinburgh South and the only Edinburgh MP to commit to the pledge so far, told The Journal: "The National Union of Students (NUS) plans have some merit and I have commissioned some work on how practical it would be to impliment them."

He added that he would be “happy to sign the pledge".

The cross-party review of tuition fees and student funding in England, which was launched this month, will look at increasing fees to up to £7000 and is headed by former BP boss, Lord Browne.

The review's report will not be released until after the general election, fuelling speculation from student leaders that politicians are conspiring to prevent tuition fees becoming an election issue.

In a letter to the Guardian, NUS President Wes Streeting said: "We are in no doubt that a review panel dominated by business and university leaders is designed to stitch up students with yet another inflation-busting hike in tuition fees.

"Any parliamentary candidate who does not sign the NUS pledge to vote against an increase in fees and support our calls for a fairer funding system will be named and shamed before polling day."

Among those who refused to sign the pledge is Conservative shadow universities and skills secretary, David Willetts.

A spokesman for Mr Willetts told The Journal that Mr Willetts was "not able to sign the pledge before seeing the details of the review".

The plan to 'name and shame' politicians comes after several MPs lost their seat in the last election due to their support for university top up fees.

Student voters make up almost 2 million of the electorate and student leaders hope that this move will influence politicians in the close-run election campaign.

Other MPs who have not signed the pledge so far include minister of state for higher education, David Lammy and chairman of the Commons education committee, Barry Sheerman, who recently claimed that students at UK universities do not work hard enough.