Local Conservative candidate refuses to disclose politics on tuition fees

The Conservative parliamentary candidate in the marginal constituency of Edinburgh South has been criticised by student leaders for failing to outline his position on tuition fees.

Neil Hudson, a veterinary lecturer at the University of Edinburgh, has not responded to repeated requests to meet with student representatives to discuss the future of higher education funding.

Edinburgh University Students' Association (EUSA) President Thomas Graham expressed concern that students would be lulled into a false sense of security when they hear the Conservative candidate is a member of university staff.

Mr Graham said: “Students know the Tory candidate is a member of university staff. What they don’t know is that he has repeatedly refused to outline his position on university funding. His silence is deafening.”

Student representatives have secured pledges from eight Edinburgh parliamentary candidates. The pledge is part of a National Union of Students (NUS) campaign to stop an increase in tuition fees in England. So far 700 candidates have signed up.

Wes Streeting, NUS president, said: "Just ten Conservative candidates in the UK have made their position clear on this issue, so it comes as no surprise that Neil Hudson has not signed the pledge.  As a university lecturer he owes it to students to make his stance known - it is disgraceful that he won't and students in Edinburgh deserve better."

Mr Hudson's Liberal Democrat challenger in Edinburgh South has also criticised his lack of clarity on this issue. Lib Dem candidate Fred Mackintosh told The Journal: "Mr Hudson's decision not to sign confirms that the Tories are out of touch and out of the race in Edinburgh South."

The Labour candidate Ian Murray said: “It is critically important that we do not create a tiered situation in our higher education system that creates such an inequality that only those most affluent can afford to attend the top institutions.”

Mr Hudson told The Journal: “I haven't signed the pledge as we are calling for a review into HE funding although we're committed to funding an extra 10,000 university places in 2010 and giving graduates a 10 percent discount on early loan repayments.”

Questioned about allegations he had failed to respond to repeated email requests to meet with student representatives since January, Mr Hudson told The Journal: “I have been contacted but we haven't set anything up yet.”