VICTORIA Firth (Letters - Citizen: May 24) claims that I explicitly told Lancaster University Student Union Officials that I would vote against the introduction of tuition fees.

This is completely untrue. I have been a regular visitor to campus throughout the five years since I was selected as Labour candidate for the last general election.

I have met with students in lecture theatres at my surgery appointments, at meetings of various groups of Conservative students, at Freshers Fairs, University Council and on my occasional tours of university bars.

I have never made the remarks attributed to me by Ms Firth.

Hilton Dawson MP