The campus vote tipped the balance in five out of ten marginal seats identified by The Times Higher as being vulnerable to a swing in academics' and students' allegiance, writes Paul Hill.

The Liberal Democrats seized Cambridge with a swing of 15 per cent from Labour, Bristol West with an 8 per cent swing and Leeds North West with a swing of 9 per cent.

But Labour's Anne McGuire held Stirling and fee rebel John Grogan held Selby - which includes York University - although his majority over the Tories fell from 2,138 to 467.

The Conservatives took Labour's seat of Lancaster and Wyre on a 4.5 per cent swing and held off a Labour challenge in Canterbury.

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But the Lib Dems also turned a Labour marginal into a 5,000 majority in Cardiff Central. The seat was formerly held by tuition fee rebel Jon Owen Jones.

In Durham, academic Roberta Blackman-Woods held off the Lib Dems, who nevertheless cut Labour's majority by 10,000 votes. Colchester remains in the hands of Lib Dem Bob Russell.

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The Lib Dems also credited the student vote for their gain of the safe Labour seat of Manchester Withington.