NICOLA Sturgeon has dismissed Jim Murphy's pledge not to impose tuition fees on students as a "desperate tactical manoeuvre," as Labour and the SNP clashed furiously over the move.
The First Minister said she welcomed "any convert" who backed the SNP's policy of not charging students.
But in a strongly worded attack on the East Renfrewshire MP, she added: "I think there is a degree of a credibility gap around Mr Murphy's comments.
"He has consistently voted for tuition fees throughout his political career.
"I think people will be sceptical about this sudden change of heart, if I could put it as politely and diplomatically as that.
"It is for others to decide, but it is more a desperate tactical manoeuvre to try to rescue the fortunes of his party than any real commitment to education."
Mr Murphy used a visit to Glasgow Caledonian University to confirm he would not impose tuition fees in Scotland if Labour wins next year's Holyrood election.
He told member's of the university's Labour club he wanted young Scots to train for top careers "no matter their background or how much money their parents have".
Mr Murphy, who voted in favour of the introduction of tuition fees by the then-Labour government in 1998, was accused of "hypocrisy".
SNP MSP Stewart Maxwell claimed the decision had "boomeranged" by
reminding voters of the Scots Labour leader's "own dreadful record" on the issue.
Murphy voted in favour of tuition fees in 1998, when they were set at £1000.
Tony Blair's government subsequently introduced "top-up fees" in 2004, which allowed universities to charge up to £3000, despite a rebellion by more than 70 Labour backbenchers.
Mr Murphy opposed the present Conservative-Lib Dem Coalition's decision to raise the maximum level of fees to £9000 - a level Ed Miliband has pledged to cut to £6000 if he becomes Prime Minister.
At Holyrood the Labour-Lib Dem administration headed by Donald Dewar scrapped tuition fees in 2000, replacing them with a £2,289 graduate endowment designed to support students from poorer backgrounds.
The endowment was ended in 2007 by the SNP, which claimed it amounted to "back door" tuition fees.
Under growing pressure from the SNP, Labour's education spokesman at Holyrood, Iain Gray, defended his party's record.
He said Labour manifestos at the 2001, 2005 and 2010 UK elections included a no-tuition fees pledge for Scotland.
He said: "Labour abolished tuition fees, the SNP abolished grants for poorer students.
"Under the SNP Scottish students now have the worst package of support in the UK, possibly in Europe.
He added: "This is desperate stuff from the SNP, reaching back into the last century for an attack line.
"If we are looking for hypocrisy, what about the SNP's promise to abolish loans, reintroduce grants and pay off student debt. "When elected they dropped that quicker than you can say 'Nick Clegg'. Now Scottish students have bigger loans to live on than anywhere else in the UK."
Mary Senior, of the University and College Union (UCU) said: "Scottish Labour's commitment to ensuring university education is free at the point of access for those students who can benefit is very welcome."
But Scottish Conservative young people spokeswoman Liz Smith said: "The fact of the matter is if we want our universities to be competitive on a global scale, contributions from those attending are essential."
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