SNP is making poorer families poorer

Nicola Sturgeon likes to talk about "free" university tuition in Scotland. The reality for thousands of poorer students here in Renfrewshire is somewhat different. Under the SNP government, students from low income backgrounds have seen their bursaries and grants slashed by half in the past five years. They are now having to borrow almost £6000 a year just to survive. The number of students taking out loans has jumped and the amount of loans across Scotland has more than doubled to £469 million last year. Students from the poorest backgrounds are suffering the most. A student from a low income family in England receives more help than in Scotland and more students from poorer families in England manage to get to university. It's not right that the Scottish Government is making poorer families shoulder a heavier burden.