YORK students hit the streets of London to protest about student tuition fees, after members of the student Conservative Association criticised Selby MP John Grogan over the issue.
Mr Grogan was invited to York Students' Union last Friday, before the National Union of Students-organised London march.
Iain Lindley, 20, press officer for the University of York Conservatives, said the Labour MP "refused to comment" when asked about his support for tuition fees, saying that top-up fees were now the main issue.
Mr Grogan voted for the introduction of tuition fees after MPs debated the issue in 1999.
But he has said he will not support the introduction of top-up fees at a vote in the new year.
The Conservatives have pledged to abolish all student fees if they come to power in the next election.
About 150 York students, of whom ten were from the student Conservative Association, travelled to London yesterday to protest over the issue.
Mr Lindley said: "Grogan refuses to back down over his support for tuition fees, which makes his opposition to top-up fees simply look unprincipled and shallow".
Mr Grogan responded to the comments, saying the Conservative policy on fees supported by York Student Conservatives would curtail the number of students able to go to university. He said: "I supported tuition fees because I think it's reasonable to expect students to make some contribution to higher education." Mr Grogan said he did not support top-up fees because he thought students would be influenced on what degree courses they chose.
Updated: 11:29 Monday, October 27, 2003
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