by Lamiat Sabin

WILLIAM Hague admitted yesterday that the Tories have “not ruled out” hiking university tuition fees if they are voted back into government this week.

The First Secretary of State was asked whether the Conservative Party would charge students more than the current £9,000 per year.

But after saying fees could be increased, Mr Hague told Daily Politics host Andrew Neil that the “extremely misleading” story was put out by Labour, who suggested that the Con-Dem coalition would make undergraduates pay £11,500 per year.

Mr Hague said: “We haven’t ruled that out but scare stories about what may happen to such fees are really, as I say, just designed to scare people ahead of the election.”

He claimed that other parties — such as Labour promising charges of £6,000 per year — do not have the “credibility” to cut fees.

James Elliott, who sits on the executive council for the National Union of Students as a representative for students with disabilities, said: “Students know from history not to trust the Tories and Lib Dems on fees. Their past record of broken promises speaks for itself.

“The fact they won’t rule out rises in fees shows they know how unpopular it would be.”

Greater progressive taxation should be implemented by Labour to abolish tuition fees as it is the “most popular policy among their members,” he added.

Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg also refused to clarify whether his party would disappoint students again.

He had apologised three years ago for failing to keep a key manifesto promise that he made in 2010 — that he would not increase fees.

The Deputy Prime Minister could not give a straight answer to shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper on the Andrew Marr show, when asked whether his party is planning a repeat offence.

He sidetracked questions with claims that Labour would make £2.5 billion worth of cuts to nurseries and colleges, to which Ms Cooper retorted that the party would “protect the education budget.”

Chuka Umunna, shadow business secretary, said: “Five times Nick Clegg was challenged to rule out a further increase in tuition fees, five times he failed to do so.

“It’s now clear that the Lib Dems are preparing to hike tuition fees yet again.”