Hames joins students in march against tuition fees

10.42.00am GMT Fri 3rd Dec 2004

Students from across the country staged a large protest march against tuition fees in Cardiff on Thursday. Westbury Lib Dem spokesman was invited to join students from the region's universities and gave his full support to their campaign.

Cllr Duncan Hames and David Rendel MP join students in their protest against university tuition fees.

Accompanied by David Rendel MP, the party's higher education spokesman, and Jenny Randerson AM, Cllr Hames and the Student Liberal Democrat contingent formed a large part of the march from Cardiff Bay to the City Centre.

"Liberal Democrats have ensured that tuition fees have been abolished in Scotland, and given the chance, we would do the same for England and Wales too." said Cllr Duncan Hames.

Speakers during the day included David Rendel MP, Jon Owen Jones MP (Labour), Presidents of the NUS in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, but nobody from the Conservative party.

Lib Dem National Union of Students spokesman Adam Teladia said "It was great to see that students from across the country are still determined to prevent top up fees wherever possible. The Liberal Democrats have once again proven themselves to be the only party truly opposed to this unfair and financially crippling method of funding education. The Conservatives, for all they claim opposition, were conspicuous on the march by their total absence. Clearly university tuition fees are yet another issue on which we are the effective opposition."