Lib Dems pledge action on Student Poverty

2.33.23pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 16th Sep 2009

Leading Liberal Democrats have backed a National Union of Students campaign for greater student support to tackle poverty in Scotland's student body.

The Liberal Democrats are leading calls for a student minimum income guarantee

Outside Teviot Union Scottish Liberal Democrat Leader Tavish Scott, Edinburgh South Westminster Spokesperson Fred Mackintosh and MSPs Mike Pringle and Margaret Smith joined NUS President Liam Burns and Edinburgh University Student Liberal Democrats to pledge more support for students in Scotland.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Tavish Scott MSP said: "Lord Sutherland's call to reintroduce tuition fees will have sent a cold shiver down the spines of many students who are _already struggling to afford university and college. Scottish Ministers need to get behind the fight for better support for our students."

Fred Mackintosh commented: "The Liberal Democrats will continue to campaign for a better deal for Scotland's students. Some students are now in serious financial distress and the Liberal Democrats are the only party calling for a minimum income guarantee for all students."

NUS Scotland President Liam Burns added: "We welcome the cross-party support for our proposals, which _not only provide grants to the very poorest students and support for student parents, but starts us on the road to dealing with the reality of the current economic climate for _students in alleviating commercial debt, and stopping Scotland's students from becoming even more overdrawn and overstretched."

Related Link:

Read the NUS Scotland survey results - Overstretched and Overdrawn.