Along with the reintroduction of prescription charges and a tax on education, new analysis has found that the Tory tuition tax would be the equivalent of a 4.56p rise in income tax for a graduate on the average salary.
This would raise their annual tax bill by £694.
Ms Davidson was the only party leader to miss the National Union of Students hustings ahead of the Holyrood elections. Her stand-in – Glasgow candidate Adam Tomkins – informed the student audience that education was not a right and that they should face a £6,000 bill for the privilege.
Commenting, Kenneth Gibson said:
“The Tories have been exposed in this election as being the party of stealth taxes who will turn back the clock in Scotland by reintroducing taxes on ill health and on education.
“Ruth Davidson has been reluctant to give any detail about how much young people will actually be forced to pay for the education – and no wonder, given that a graduate on the average full-time salary would be paying 4.56p more in tax on every pound they earn.
“Education is a right, and access to university should be based on your ability to learn not your ability to pay – the language used by the Tory candidate in the NUS debate will do Ruth Davidson no favours.
"By giving both votes to the SNP in this election, people will be electing a government that will always protect free education.”
Estimated equivalent tax rate, 2020-21:
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