Student Leaders Urge University Principles To Restrict Fees

Student leaders have written an open letter to Scotland's university principals urging them to restrict fees to students from the rest of the UK.









NUS Scotland has appealed for a minimal increase, with fee waivers for the least well-off students.

Scottish students studying at home do not pay tuition fees.

But students from other parts of the UK are charged about £1,800 a year with that potentially increasing to £9,000 a year from 2012.

Scotland's National Union of Students has appealed for a minimal rise, with fee waivers for the least well-off.

NUS Scotland President, Robin Parker, said: "We are calling on principals to keep fee rises as low as possible in order to protect access, and I am sure that students will come down hard on any principal who decides to make their degrees more expensive than a degree in England.

"Under the new system Scottish student numbers are protected no matter what happens to demand from the students from the rest of the UK.

"We need to send the message to prospective students and their families in the rest of the UK that Scottish universities are open for business to them, and that their value is seen in academic terms, not in terms of the pound signs hanging over their heads."

"We need to send the message to prospective students and their families in the rest of the UK that Scottish universities are open for business"

Robin Parker NUS Scotland

A spokeswoman for the Scottish government said: "Scottish universities have already made clear that they intend to offer a range of bursaries and scholarships to make sure Scottish higher education remains accessible to learners from diverse backgrounds across the UK."

Alastair Sim, from Universities Scotland, said that "holding to the status quo" as fees go up to £9,000 in England would have been "catastrophic for Scotland".

He added: "No change would have meant Scottish universities become the cheap option for students looking to avoid high fees elsewhere which would have put tremendous pressure on places for Scottish students at Scottish universities.

"Scotland's universities want to continue to welcome students that live across the rest of the UK and will be sensitive to this, and other factors, in setting their fees."

Police Numbers 'Will Reduce In Line With Risk'

Acting Commissioner of the Met Police Tim Godwin says he is negotiating with London Mayor Boris Johnson over officer numbers.



Speaking alongside the Mayor of London after a Cobra meeting this morning, the Police Commissioner said he would start to reduce numbers of officers on the street "as and when we see the risk go down".

He added that hundreds of thousands of young people did not engage in rioting that affected London and parts of England and warned against demonising all teenagers.

Riots: Coalition Tensions Over Benefits Plan

The flames of the riots have subsided, but the political fall-out has only just begun.











One proposal could lead to people losing benefits if they are convicted.

The Government's most immediate concern is what to do with the hundreds of people who have been arrested over the disturbances.

Many people feel the punishments being dished out are merely a slap on the wrist.

Others are concerned about the many young offenders who have been swept up into criminality.

Today both David Cameron and Ed Miliband made speeches trying to unpick the causes of the riots and prescribe their own remedies.

The Prime Minister must walk the political tightrope of reacting decisively and swiftly to the riots, without a knee-jerk response.











David Cameron says he 'fully supports' Iain Duncan Smith.

Ed Miliband has already accused Mr Cameron of "knee-jerk gimmicks".

But the truth is that neither the Prime Minister nor the leader of the opposition have come up with much in the way of concrete policies.

David Cameron’s speech seemed an exercise in re-emphasising what the Coalition is already doing - such as welfare reform, free schools and the British Bill of Rights.

One source close to the Prime Minister confirmed to me that today was more about "re-energising" and "reminding ministers of our priorities" rather than outlining a specific policy reaction.

Meanwhile Ed Miliband bemoaned the "unequal society" and "gross irresponsibility" but refused to nail his colours to the mast of any particular policy initiative - simply calling for a national inquiry.

One new policy is, however, under discussion and it is likely to be extremely controversial.











Lib Dem Simon Hughes says he fears 'knee-jerk' responses.

Work and Pension Secretary Iain Duncan Smith has said the Government is currently looking at removing benefits from people involved in the riots.

When asked about the idea during the question and answer session, the Prime Minister would only say that Mr Duncan Smith had his "total support".

Housing Minister Grant Shapps has already said that he is actively encouraging councils to use their right to evict council house tenants if they have been involved in criminal activity.

But if this is widened to include all benefits, there could be a rocky road ahead for the Coalition.

Liberal Democrat deputy leader Simon Hughes has cautioned against a "knee-jerk" response, and the party's welfare spokeswoman Jenny Willott has said she is "very worried" by the proposal.

And while Nick Clegg is understood to be comfortable with the idea of rioters losing their council homes, it is unclear whether he would be happy if they lost other benefits too.

Ed Miliband: We Need Riot Inquiry

The Labour leader Ed Miliband calls for a national discussion while visiting Hackney, one of the places hit by rioting.



Mr Miliband has pledged that if the Government does not launch a public inquiry into the riots which swept England, then his party will conduct one.

"I am determined to make sure that, if the Government doesn't conduct this national conversation that we need, we will do it ourselves at the Labour Party."

During a visit to local businesses in Hackney he said, "We need a proper national conversation, a proper commission of inquiry looking at the issues involved, because simplistic solutions will not work."

''After all other major disturbances in Britain there has been a proper inquiry - that is why the Government needs to get on with it," he added.

The Labour leader said those affected by the lawlessness in the area had told him the issues behind the looting included problems with parental responsibility, the relationship between the police and the public, and the lack of opportunities for young people.

The receptionists At 4-Star Hotel Who Were Found Stabbed To Death

A man has appeared in court accused of murdering a couple found stabbed to death in a house.

Alice Adams and Tibor Vass, both aged 20, worked as receptionists at the Radisson Edwardian Heathrow Hotel in Harlington, west London.

Attila Ban, 31, a Hungarian man from Harlington, has been remanded in custody over the murders after appearing in court on Saturday.

He also worked at the hotel as a receptionist.



















Victims: Alice Adams and Tibor Vass were found stabbed to death.


Police found the bodies of Ms Adams, from Buckinghamshire, and Mr Vass, a Hungarian national, from Harlington, on Wednesday after concerns were raised about their welfare.

Both died of multiple stab wounds.

They were discovered at a property behind the Radisson Hotel with the rear gardens backing on to the hotel's secure gated car park.

A knife has been recovered from the scene, said Scotland Yard.












Murder scene: A police cordon in New Road, Harlington, west London, where the bodies of a man and woman were discovered at a property.


Ban was arrested in Harlington after receiving treatment for wrist and neck injuries at a west London hospital.

He will appear at the Old Bailey on Tuesday.

In a statement, Miss Adams' family said: 'Alice touched the hearts of everyone she ever met.

'Her capacity to spread love was unprecedented and her spirit will live on forever. We will be making no further comment to the press at this time.'

England Is Sick Pole Monika Tells Of Riot Blaze Hell

The Polish mum who had to leap for her life after rioters torched her home said last night: "England has become a sick society."












Speaking for the first time to The Sun, Monika Konczyk, 32, said she came to London to seek a better life - but was nearly killed by thugs in a nightmare riot blaze.


















The hard-working Polish mum said she expected a "wonderful" fresh start when she arrived here five months ago.

Instead she found herself at the mercy of rampaging arsonists and looters as mayhem swept across London on Monday.

The image of Monika leaping from her flat against a backdrop of flames filled The Sun's Page One - and was beamed round the world to Britain's shame.

Poundland shop assistant Monika said: "I came to England because I thought it is a great country full of kind and gentle people.

"I thought London was a civilised society full of gentlemen and ladies - but it is not like that. England has become a sick society.

"I found myself jumping for my life after being attacked by thugs and thieves. They set fire to my building without any thought for anyone's safety.

"They were happy for me to die. They were like animals - greedy, selfish animals who thought only of themselves."

Desperate Monika had screamed "I'm going to die here" as a wall of flame and red-hot cinders swept ever closer to her flat in Croydon, South London.

Her terrifying 45-minute ordeal ended only when she jumped from her first-floor window into the arms of riot cops 16ft below.

In an exclusive interview with The Sun, Monika said of the rioters: "I am shocked to find people behaving like this in England.

"It is not what I expected of the English. I have never seen anything like this in Poland.

"Polish people are hard-working and respectable. They believe in working for a living, not stealing from others.

"If you want nice clothes or a new TV, you don't smash shop windows and loot them - you work to pay for them.

"My life in Poland was very hard, I worked very long hours for very little money.

"We are making sacrifices to come here so we can support ourselves and our families.

"My friends all told me what a wonderful country this is. I hope I can recover from this and go on to have a happy time here."

Monika became trapped in her rented flat above a shop just 15 yards from the 140-year-old Reeves furniture store that was blazing unchecked.

Fearing her own building was about to be engulfed, she called her sister Beata Bozenkow, who lives ten minutes away. Beata, 37, told her to flee.

Monika, who moved in just three weeks ago, frantically packed a bag.

But her flat had only a door to the rear of the building - and that exit was blocked by flames.

Monika said: "I tried to escape but it was like facing a wall of flame. Big red cinders were falling on my head and the wind was pushing the fire at me.

"Flames were coming up over my head. The fire was so hot I knew if I got too close it would kill me. I thought I was going to die - I thought I had lost my life."

She retreated back into her flat, which was rapidly filling with thick black smoke.












Terror ... store blazes out of control yards from Monika Konczyk's Croydon flat.

Monika desperately called her sister again. Beata and her husband Jurgen Mecaj raced to the scene.

But their way was blocked by cops trying to quell the riot. Tiler Jurgen, 31, said: "The police thought I was a looter, they said I could not get through. I begged them, saying 'Please, my sister-in-law is there'. Then they believed me and we all ran down."

Beata made a frantic call to terrified Monika, urging her to come to the window.


















Drama ... Monika Konczyk points to the window where she leapt out.

Monika said: "I was shaking so badly I could not open the window. But once I managed it I did not hesitate. I thought I was going to die in there. I did not care if I broke my legs and my arms on the ground. I saw a policeman with his arms outstretched and I just jumped and he caught me.

"Then they told us all to run away as fast as we could.

"Now when I see the picture of me jumping I feel very lucky to have my life. I never hoped to be famous, I just wanted to escape."

Monika, originally from the small Polish city of Koronowo, had been watching TV on a day off when terror came to her street.

It was the third day of the London riots but she had no idea Croydon was to be the flashpoint.

Monika said: "I was warned at 4.30pm that there was trouble but didn't give it another thought.

"Two hours later I heard shouting and the sound of broken glass. I started getting nervous. I looked out and saw a young boy with his hood up running down the street with a huge plasma TV."

More than 50 looters were smashing windows ever closer to Monika's home and a bus was torched. Monika, who ventured out to see what was happening, said: "I saw boys smash the windows of the furniture store and struggle to steal sofas. At the back of the store I saw a boy start a small fire on a bed.

"I was becoming very fearful so I went back into my flat. I thought it was best to stay inside where it was safe." But she was soon in mortal danger as the store was engulfed by fire.











Close ... Monika, left, with sister Beata and Jurgen.

Monika said: "I came here for a new start. I never thought this could happen. It is the first time I have ever seen anything like this. These people are so stupid, it is terrible. I could have died, and for what?

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"I am so grateful to the police and my family for saving me."

Monika arrived in Britain on March 18 after a 23-hour bus trip.

It was an escape from the drudgery of Poland where she made £200 a month working 12 hours a day, seven days a week as a convenience store supervisor.

She had become pregnant with her son Damian after leaving school, and married.

Monika later divorced and moved into a one-bedroom flat while continuing to work for a pittance. Beata, who moved to Britain five years ago, begged her to join her.

Monika overcame her qualms about a new country and language and made the move. She soon found work in discount shop Poundland - and never missed a day until Monday's terror. Damian, now ten, lives with his father in Poland.

Monika said: "Despite what has happened, I still believe I can build a better life here."