MP CANDIDATES were challenged on immigration policy at a debate hosted by York College yesterday.

More than 150 students packed into a college room to hear from the seven parliamentary candidates for York Central, and grilled them on education policy, immigration and mental health services.

UKIP candidate Ken Guest spoke of his party's policy on an Australian points-based immigration system, but most of his opponents said immigration should not be seen as a "problem", while Conservative Robert McIlveen told the students he could not stand in front of a room full of Spanish or Portuguese students where youth unemployment is rampant, and deny them chance to look for work in Britain.

The event also saw Liberal Democrat candidate Nick Love admit to being "shattered" by the tuition fee U-turn which has damaged his party, adding: "It was a stupid thing to promise."

The college's principal Alison Birkinshaw asked the seven politicians about their parties' policies on further education, challenging them on both FE and adult education budget, which have seen its funding cut by 24 percent.

She also said local communities were bearing the brunt of uneconomic "boutique" free schools.

Tory candidate Robert McIveen said: "I am not going to pretend there is a huge amount of money coming for FE, because there probably isn't." He added that while the deficit remains, austerity measures and harsh funding arrangements will remain.

But it was an argument Green candidate Jonathan Tyler branded "a lot of nonsense", saying austerity was an ideological commitment rather than a necessity.

Labour's Rachael Maskell spoke of her party's policy of reducing student fees to £6000 a year, while education policies were reviewed, and criticised the free school project which she said has "poured millions" into small schools which employ unqualified teachers.

Liberal Democrat candidate Nick Love praised his party's pupil premium policy which he said had poured £2.5 billion into education for under privileged students.

The Yorkshire First candidate Chris Whitwood took part in the debate, as well as the Trade Union and Socialist Coalition's Megan Ollerhead.