The second visit to Gravesend by Labour leader Ed Miliband saw him refrain from making any firm promises on the eve of local elections.

His afternoon saw him take questions from A-level students and the public at Northfleet School for Girls.

Asked by 18-year-old Rikah Louie, if he would reduce tuition fees back to £3,000 a year if he came to power, he said he "could not make that promise."

The University of Kent is one of several to announce plans to charge the maximum fees of £9,000 a year.

In response to the student's question he said: "I would hope to do something about the fees situation, but I am struck by the experience of Nick Clegg, who made a lot of promises and I have visited places where he made promises."

He paused to check the student was 18 and eligible to vote tomorrow, before adding: "It is tempting to try and win your vote with a false promise, but that is one of the reasons politics in the UK is discredited."

His visit comes barely a fortnight after an earlier trip, when he admitted that Labour had a mountain to climb to recover its position as a major political force after being wiped out at the general election.

There is optimism in the Labour camp that it could be on course to regain a small number of Kent councils - including Gravesham - at tomorrow’s poll.

But Mr Miliband added: "I am not predicting we will take overall control, but we are here to make gains and hopefully some very good Labour councillors will be elected. The south is a key battleground and we need to be the party that unites the north and south.

"I hope the local elections will also send out a message to the current government on issues like tuition fees and the NHS and I think the local electorate is appropriate to send that message."

Questions ranged from local housing policy, the costs of re-building schools under Labour and the Alternative Vote system, which Mr Miliband supports.