Delegates at the NUS conference gave overwhelming support to the Cubie report in Scotland and pledged to fight to introduce it in the rest of the United Kingdom. They voted to campaign for a mixed funding system, with bursaries targeted at the neediest, a reformed loan system and an end to tuition fees.
But the conference narrowly rejected calls to campaign for reintroduction of the maintenance grant, a policy dropped by the union four years ago. Jonathan Black, from the London School of Economics, said: "However much money we have we must still spend it effectively. Grants for all would give grants to Prince William and his Eton pals."