This one is replete with irony. Sky News is reporting that a Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate and university lecturer, Dr Vincent McKee, has been implicated in defrauding students out of thousands of pounds in tuition fees.
McKee offers private tuition through something called the Institute of Colleges and University Teachers (Icut), in Coventry, but students and parents who have handed over bank details have had large sums withdrawn from their bank accounts.
One person contacted by Sky News, who asked to remain anonymous, booked eight hours lessons for her daughter at a cost of £35 per hour. With the registration fee, the bill should have come to £380. But the mother then discovered £3,260 had been taken from her account.
“Eventually he wrote me a cheque for £250. But then he ripped it up again. I felt very scared and began crying.”
McKee has stood as a Lib Dem candidate in four general elections and is currently head of policy for the party in Coventry.
There’s no indication in the story if McKee supports leader Nick Clegg in raising tuition fees.
