At a time when the Scottish Parliament should be taking the first step towards reducing student debt, Tory and Labour MSPs have abandoned Scotland’s students in what amounted to a cheap political move.

Students have spent the past decade under a Labour administration being pushed further and further into debt and, despite losing the election, it seems Labour are refusing to change their ways.

It was astonishing that Richard Baker voted against the bill. As a former president of the National Union of Students in Scotland who called for free education himself, he should have supported the current NUS president in welcoming the bill. Yet again we see politicians who benefited from free education trying to inflict debt on the next generation.

Students and their families will look at the actions of Labour and the Tories in disbelief. Despite their actions, I hope there will eventually be a parliamentary majority for abolishing the graduate endowment, and not abandoning Scotland’s students.

Alex Orr

Bryson Road, Edinburgh.