A LOCAL politician has condemned the Government vote on tuition fees.

Amanda Harland, the Conservatives' prospective Parliamentary candidate for Colne Valley, said the latest vote on the Higher Education Bill was a total betrayal of all young people who wanted to go to university.

Labour won by just 28 votes - despite its huge majority in the Commons.

The Bill will now go to the House of Lords for further scrutiny.

Ms Harland said: "Many Labour MPs, including Colne Valley's Kali Mountford, have benefited from a free university education.

"It is wrong that these same MPs are denying school- leavers the same opportunity.

"The way is now clear for universities to charge tuition fees of up to £3,000 a year - with the real threat that this cap could in fact be raised," added Ms Harland.

"Students will leave university with crippling debts of up to £27,000 and no guarantee of a job.

"New research says four out of every 10 graduates are in jobs that do not require degree-level skills three years after finishing their studies.

"This is only going to get worse as the Government pursues its policy of getting 50% of school-leavers to go to university," she said.