Scotland's striking lecturers march on Holyrood

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They rallied outside the Scottish Parliament on the fourth day of a month-long strike at the university as bosses press ahead with plans to slash spending by £140 million and as many as 1,800 jobs. 

Edinburgh’s cuts plans are the biggest in the history of Scottish higher education, but they echo cuts now under way at Heriot-Watt University, Glasgow Caledonian University and crisis-struck Dundee University, with management at all three so far refusing to rule out the use of compulsory redundancies to meet their cuts targets.

Hailing the strikers as “inspiring,” UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: “I am here to make absolutely clear Scotland has support from every UCU member across the UK.

“More than that, you have the backing of the entire union. We are working extremely hard with UCU Scotland to make sure that every single striking member has access to the fighting fund.

“We are engaged with every single influential politician so they know there is no greater crisis than the crisis in higher education.”

Maggie Chapman, rector of Dundee University, which plunged into crisis two years ago when the principal declared a £30m black hole in its finances, then promptly resigned with a six-figure package, also addressed the strikers.

In a message of solidarity, the north-east Green MSP said: “I firmly believe that education is a public good.

“I firmly believe that you are at the centre of knowledge and creation, of creativity and the inspiration for our futures.

“You are the people who capture the sparks of our young people, of the next generation.”