'Lost generation' protest in Edinburgh

by Duncan Brown

Hundreds march in Edinburgh (Pic: Duncan Brown)

Over 250 students and their supporters marched in Edinburgh on Wednesday. The demonstration was called by Scottish Students Against Cuts (SSAC) in defence of a generation of young people under attack from the austerity measures being enforced by governments in Westminster and Holyrood.

The Scottish Government is proposing cutting back on college funding for the second consecutive year. This is while over 100,000 16-24 year olds are unemployed in Scotland, and Scottish Universities are becoming the most expensive in Europe for 'rest of UK' students.

The students say it is time to stand up as a generation and say enough! They welcome the protection of college bursaries but colleges are still facing further cuts this year, on top of cuts decided last year.

We cannot allow another generation to be lost as happened in the 1980s.