ED MILIBAND’S pledge that a Labour government will cut university tuition fees to a maximum of £6,000 a year appears to be astute politics to ensure its young supporters turn out on May 7.

While prime minister David Cameron’s assurance pensioner’s universal benefits are safe in Tory hands is a clear appeal to its older core vote.

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It would seem both parties have decided where to make their stand on both sides of the age gap.

Mr Cameron is playing off the concerns of an ageing population about their financial security against Labour’s plans to pay for its student cash bonus by raiding pension pots and axing free bus passes, TV licences and the winter fuel allowance for wealthier over-65s.

Mr Miliband’s promise has the added political benefit of leaving the Liberal Democrats in a mess after their 2010 U-turn on their pre-election pledge not to raise university tuition fees.

It plays well in Blackburn, one of the youngest towns in the country, where 36.3 per cent of the population is between 16 and 34, and Burnley where the figure is 30.5 per cent.

Both towns have a growing student populations at their colleges and university centres.

Labour, the Lib Dems and Greens back lowering the voting age to 16 while the Tories oppose it.

Election expert John Curtice, of the University of Strathclyde, has no doubt the prime minister and leader of the opposition are playing ‘astute politics’.

His figures for January show that nationally 28 per cent of under 35s and 40 per cent of over 65s say they will vote Tory compared to 38 per cent cent of young electors and 26 per cent of pensioners for Labour.

Professor Curtice said: “There is a significant age difference in the main parties support.

“Mr Cameron is clearly talking to older people who are more likely to vote and more likely to vote Tory.

“There is no doubt that Labour is directly appealing to younger people with a policy to get them out to the polling stations.

“It is also something that will do significant damage to the Liberal Democrats’ share of the younger vote in view of their broken promise over tuition fees in 2010.

“It will affect constituencies with big student populations, not least Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg’s Sheffield seat.”

Lancashire Council of Mosques chairman Abdul Hamid Qureshi says the pledge will go down well with East Lancashire’s South Asian heritage population.

He said: “Student fees are an important issue for us. It will play well with our community.”

Blackburn Labour prospective parliamentary candidate Kate Hollern believes cutting student tuition fees by a third from a maximum £9,000 a year will appeal to young supporters but play more widely.

She said: “It’s not just young people that care about this but their parents and grandparents as well.

“They don’t want to see students in their families saddled with debt for years to come.

“The proposed cap on pension pots is far more than most people in East Lancashire can ever afford.”

Burnley Liberal Democrat MP Gordon Birtwistle said: “This is cheap politics by Ed Miliband and is unfunded and unaffordable. Some courses and smaller universities could close.

“The current scheme supports more students from disadvantaged backgrounds into university then ever before and we have boosted apprenticeships as an alternative for young people.”

The pledge on pensioners’ benefits delighted Ribble Valley Tory MP Nigel Evans whose constituency has 40.3 per cent of voters aged over 55.

He said: “It gives pensioners in less affluent areas across East Lancashire, who don’t like means testing, the certainty the money is there to pay unexpected bills.

“The public will see straight through Labour’s pledge to tax middle class pensioners to pay for students who get degrees and only repay their loans if they get highly-paid jobs.”

Kerry Gormley, standing for the Greens in Hyndburn, sees a surge in support from younger voters who believe in its policies of free university education and ‘a planet fit for the future’.

She adds the party is finalising its policies on pensions but says a fixed ‘citizens income’ of £72 a week will help older people.

Ukip’s 21-year-old candidate for Blackburn Dayle Taylor highlights his age and the party pledge to scrap tuition fees for students with good A-level results in science and maths subjects.

He said: “This shows we are not just home for disgruntled old Tories but a party which cares about our young people.”

Pendle Tory MP Andrew Stephenson, defending a slim majority of 2,180, predicted Labour’s pledge would unravel.

He said: “It just does not add up.

“I think young people see straight through it. Labour brought in tuition fees while this government has increased support to get more students from disadvantaged into universities.

“Mr Miliband is seeking to pay for the cut, which will make little real difference, by taxing their grandparents and creating an economic black hole.”

To win the election the parties have not just to offer policies appealing to their core voters but make clear they can pay for them without risking the economic recovery.

In the coming month, I will examine the issues which will decide whether voters attracted by these early pledges think the same on May 7.

  • Next week: A look at education debate