MPs to vote on top-up fees

Monday, 23 June 2003 12:00 AM

A special debate on university fees taking place in the Commons today is expected to highlight the level of opposition to top-up tuition fees.

The debate has been tabled by the Liberal Democrats who are calling for the plans to introduce fees to be abandoned, a move being backed by the Conservatives.

The Government is also expected to meet opposition from its own party, with a total of 173 Labour MPs reportedly having signed early day motions opposing the fees.

The Liberal Democrats' education spokesman Phil Willis said his party was hoping these MPs would continue to vote against the plans.

'We are trying to say to the Labour rebels that yours was a principled objection to top-up fees, here is a principled motion to allow you to send a strong message to your government,' he told the BBC.

Under the controversial proposals universities would be allowed to charge up to £3,000 a year from 2006. A bill paving the way for the charges will be presented to parliament in the autumn.

Education Secretary Charles Clarke has been warned by Labour backbenchers that the policy is an 'electoral liability' that could lose the party many seats.

Critics argue that the fees will create a 'two-tier' university system and discourage students from lower-income backgrounds going to the best institutions.

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