Labour's tuition fees vow at centre of plea for students to join voting register

Labour has made a last-ditch plea for students to register to vote by stressing its manifesto pledge to abolish tuition fees.

Leader Jeremy Corbyn accused the Conservatives of having "held students back for too long" by helping to treble tuition fees to more than £9,000 a year, claiming Labour wants to "lift this cloud of debt" by making it free for people to study at university in England.

His party is seeking to tap into the student vote, including those 18-year-olds sitting their A-levels and about to start university, as it bids to secure power at the General Election.

But anyone hoping to have their say at the ballot box on June 8 must apply to register to vote by 11.59pm on Monday.

Electoral Commission data shows more than two million people have applied to register to vote since Prime Minister Theresa May announced on April 18 her intention to call a snap election.

Labour estimates its policy to scrap tuition fees could benefit around 400,000 students from this autumn if numbers remain unchanged.

The party says it would abolish fees from 2018 and write-off the first year of fees for those planning to start university this September, while those part way through their degree will pay no further fees for the remainder of the course.

Labour adds it would seek to provide free tuition for EU students and would seek reciprocal arrangements at EU universities as part of Brexit talks.

Mr Corbyn said: "We will scrap tuition fees and ensure universities have the resources they need to continue to provide a world-class education.

"Students will benefit from having more money in their pockets, and we will all benefit from the engineers, doctors, teachers and scientists that our universities produce."

Shadow education secretary Angela Rayner added: "If students sitting their A-levels now want a say on their future they need to register to vote before tonight's deadline and vote Labour on June 8."

A Conservative spokesman said: "There are now more students from disadvantaged backgrounds getting into university than ever before.

"But if Jeremy Corbyn is in charge of our Brexit negotiations, all of this will be under threat."