We asked subscribers whether the Government’s introduction of variable tuition fees had affected the way they planned to vote in the forthcoming general election.

624 Milkround users replied. The results are displayed in the graph and table below.

As can be observed, the top-up fees issue have had an appreciable impact on Labour’s support. Specifically, Labour would have received 51% of the vote, but the introduction of tuition fees has caused 23% of those polled to decamp to other parties – 17% to the Liberal Democrats and 5% to the Conservatives.

It's clear that the initiative is viewed very negatively by a sizeable proportion of students and graduates. It's notable that the two opposition parties were on roughly level terms before the introduction of the fees - but that the Lib Dems received the majority - 77% - of the swing in favour.

The effect of the swing has been to end Labour's former sizeable lead (25% of the vote); in terms of the student vote they now are now 16% behind the Lib Dems and roughly level-pegging with the Conservatives.