ANAS Sarwar must oppose the hike to English tuition fees and instruct his MPs to do the same in order to dispel concerns fees could return to Scotland if Labour claim power, the Greens have said.
A tweet posted by Anas Sarwar in December 2010 saw him call on former LibDem business secretary Vince Cable to resign after he backed a major hike to tuition fees despite previously suggesting he would abstain.
In a letter seen by The National, Scottish Green MSP Ross Greer has now called on Sarwar to stand up to Keir Starmer and “reaffirm that position” by opposing the latest increase and clarifying where he stands on free tuition in Scotland.
Scottish Labour have insisted their position remains unchanged from a promise in the 2024 manifesto which said that the party were “committed to free tuition for Scottish students attending Scottish universities”.
However, the SNP have argued that Labour’s move south of the Border showed the party could do the same if it came to power after the 2026 Holyrood election.
UK Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson announced tuition fees in England would rise from £9250 to £9535 per year.
In his letter, Greer highlighted several occasions where Sarwar had called out the LibDems for supporting an increase tuition fees while he was an MP.
He said: “The Scottish Greens are deeply concerned by yesterday’s announcement by the UK Labour Government that it will hike tuition fees for university students in England.
“This decision by the new Labour Government has been described as a betrayal of students and young people by many in the higher education sector, and it is hard to reconcile with your own previous statements on this topic from your time as an MP.
“In 2010, you told the House of Commons ‘our future is our young people, and this coalition government is now hitting them with record levels of debt as they leave university’.
“You were right to vote against the Conservative/Lib Dem tuition fees hike in 2011. I am writing today to urge you to reaffirm that position, oppose Keir Starmer’s tuition fees hike and clarify your policy on tuition fees in Scotland.”
On December 21, 2010, Sarwar tweeted: “It could have all been so different. Vince Cable should have done the honourable thing and resigned over tuition fees.”
Greer outlined how the move by Starmer had ignited fears Scottish Labour could bring back tuition fees if they returned to power in Scotland, despite previous pledges they would not do this.
Former Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale wrote back in May that her former party may have to turn to bringing back fees, adding Sarwar would “relish the opportunity” to do so in order to reform public services.
It could have all been so different. Vince Cable should have done the honourable thing and resigned over tuition fees.
— Anas Sarwar (@AnasSarwar) December 21, 2010
First Minister John Swinney said in a video on Twitter/X that if there was to be a Labour government elected in Scotland again “you could bet your bottom dollar that one of the first things they would do is to introduce tuition fees”.
Greer said in order to dispel these concerns, Sarwar must order his MPs to vote against the increase to fees in England and clarify whether Scottish Labour still stands against them in Scotland.
The letter went on: “Quite understandably, this decision by your UK Labour colleagues has raised the prospect of tuition fees returning to Scotland under a Scottish Labour government, causing significant unease.
"I would therefore appreciate if you could confirm the following: How you will instruct Scottish Labour MPs to vote on increasing tuition fees in England and your position on the funding of tuition in Scotland, specifically whether Scottish Labour would seek to reintroduce fees.”
Scottish Labour have been approached for comment.
