Higher fees in England could disadvantage Scottish universities

John Swinney, the leader of the Scottish National Party, wants MPs from all political parties to vote against the fees at Westminster.

He believes higher fees south of the border would place Scottish universities at a huge financial disadvantage.

Mr Swinney made the call in a speech at Dundee University, warning that the fees could be used to avoid spending more taxes on higher education south of the border.

But the Conservatives said they would abstain from any vote, rather than joining the SNP in voting against the proposals.

A Scottish Tory party spokesman said Peter Duncan, the sole Scots Tory MP, would continue his stance of not voting on English issues.

"The sad reality of Labour's majority at Westminster is that Tony Blair is likely to get his way if the whips dragoon English MPs through the lobby," he said.

"The decent thing for Scottish Labour MPs to do is to absent themselves from the vote, rather than be instrumental in damaging Scottish universities."

If we had the English suggesting that Scottish universities should be run in a particular way, he [Swinney] would be the first to object Ian Davidson MP

He added: "With a UK market in higher education and large cross-border flows of staff and students, we must have a UK-wide solution to higher education funding.

"That is why a Nationalist response to this issue will always be inadequate."

Ian Davidson, Labour MP for Glasgow Pollok, accused Mr Swinney of hypocrisy.

He said: "John Swinney is trying to control how English universities are financed. If we had the English suggesting that Scottish universities should be run in a particular way, he would be the first to object."

Mr Swinney had earlier told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme: "Top-up fees pose a real threat to Scottish higher education because it puts us at a competitive disadvantage to institutions south of the border.

"That will affect staff, research and development and the whole effectiveness of the higher education sector in Scotland.

"All political parties recognise top-up fees to be bad for Scotland and we should unite to oppose them."

On Thursday, SNP MPs said they would break their self-imposed ban on voting on English issues in the Commons because of the damage English fees would do to Scottish universities.