The claim is being made by the public service union Unison, which has released the results of a opinion poll which it says shows Scots remain implacably opposed to fees.

Unison commissioned the poll from System Three Scotland, who interviewed nearly 1,000 people in 40 constituencies.

It found 65% opposed tuition fees - and half of those interviewed said they were "strongly" against them.

Fifty-six per cent also opposed the fourth-year fee for students from outside Scotland.

Principle

More than 90% were in favour of students being supported at least in part by grants and, Unison says, only 5% approved of the government policy of abolishing grants altogether from next autumn in favour of loans to be repaid after graduation.

Unison commissioned the poll as part of a campaign for public services in the run-up to elections to the Scottish Parliament in May.

The union's Scottish convenor, Mike Kirby, said Unison planned to highlight the findings in the run-up to the elections.

"This is an example of the attitude to public services in Scotland. Freedom of access to a university education is a dearly-held principle," he said.

The government says fees and loans are the only way to pay for a higher education sector which has expanded rapidly in recent years.