David Cocozza, a 24-year-old film studies undergraduate, is a city council candidate in Canterbury and the mature students¡¯ officer at Kent¡¯s students¡¯ union.

He said that the Greens were the only party that was serious about ensuring the UK has a ¡°well-funded free education system to shape and build the next leaders of the world¡±.

¡°We want every young person to have access to a quality education, no matter what their family¡¯s income,¡± Mr Cocozza said.

¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯re opposed to the government¡¯s privatisation and commercialisation of schools, colleges and universities which is making access to a good education dependent on financial privilege.

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¡°By scrapping unfair and oppressive tuition fees, replacing them with student grants to meet living costs, reintroducing the education maintenance allowance for 16 to 18-year-olds, and ensuring university students are provided with quality, affordable accommodation [we] will ensure that anyone and everyone who wants to access ÖйúAƬ actually can.¡±

Mr Cocozza said his priorities would include promoting the take-up of science, technology, engineering and mathematics subjects at universities, particularly among young women.

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The Greens¡¯ reshaped front bench, which has a 50-50 gender split, was announced as the party took a small lead over the Liberal Democrats in an opinion poll.

The by Conservative peer Lord Ashcroft put the Greens on 11 per cent to the Liberal Democrats¡¯ 9 per cent ¨C adding weight, the Greens said, to their demand that they be included in televised general election debates.

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com