Johann Lamont challenged to stay loyal to Labour’s tuition fees pledge

Johann Lamont has been challenged by education secretary Michael Russell who has highlighted Labour’s previous support for the National Union of Students’ Reclaim Your Voice pledge.

The party backed the pledge not to introduce tuition fees when she was deputy leader, and her party’s website still carries the slogan “no price tag on education.”

Mr Russell said: “The Scottish Government believes access to education should be based on ability to learn, not the ability to pay.

“That was the position the public backed and it was the position on which Johann Lamont and every other Labour MSP stood at the last election.

He added: “In a single vote in Parliament, she can vote with the SNP and back no tuition fees, or she can vote with the Tories and betray the principles on which she was elected.”