RENDEL LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN FOR STUDENT VOTE

1.10.11pm UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 3rd Feb 2005

David Rendel MP was today joined by Liberal Democrat Leader Charles Kennedy to launch the Liberal Democrat campaign for the student vote.

"The Government has imposed top-up fees on students, and the Conservatives want to charge commercial interest rates on student loans. The Liberal Democrats are the only party that will remove all charges on students for their education", Mr Rendel said.

Mr Rendel and Mr Kennedy also released new research showing that as many as 27 seats could fall to the Liberal Democrats as a result of the student vote.

There are 14 Labour and 13 Conservative seats where the number of students exceeds the majority of the sitting MP over the Liberal Democrats. Five consecutive opinion polls have put the Liberal Democrats well in front amongst student voters.

Prominent Conservative casualties could include Shadow Cabinet Members Tim Collins, David Davis and Oliver Letwin.

Commenting, Mr Rendel said:

"Recent opinion polls show a 12% Labour lead amongst students in 2001 turning into a 6% Liberal Democrat lead, with Tory support dropping away. Labour's policy of top-up fees and the Conservative policy of commercial interest rates on student loans are proving very unpopular. Liberal Democrats would scrap all tuition fees - and students are backing us as a result."

ENDS

Notes -

1) Liberal Democrat research on student votes is based on figures from the 2001 census and opinion poll evidence from the authoritative UNITE/MORI Student Experience Report.

2) The 2001 census found that there are 3,768 students in the Newbury Constituency. If the opinion polls are correct, the swing to the Liberal Democrats amongst this group will make it considerably harder for the Conservatives to recapture this seat from the Liberal Democrats at the next general election.