MPs to vote on tuition fees rise, students protests planned

The coalition government, facing its first major rebellion, wants to limit the scale of backbench opposition to plans of almost trebling education fees.

More than a dozen Liberal Democrat MPs are expected to vote against the move.

The vote in the House of Commons on radical changes to higher education funding will be the culmination of weeks of political divisions and student protests.

Before voting, MPs are expected to start debating the issue about 12.15 GMT (13.15 local time) and cannot last longer than five hours.

Students from around the UK are expected to gather in London, threatening to "shut down" the capital in a day of protests.

Liberal Democrat MPs have been under intense pressure, after their election pledge to vote against any fee increase.

Party leader Nick Clegg, who has become a target for student anger, has said that all Lib Dem ministers will vote in favour of the plan to raise fees.

Meanwhile his own party's youth wing is holding talks in their last chance to persuade Lib Dem MPs to vote against the fee rise.

In an attempt to bolster support, ministers announced further concessions on repayment thresholds which would make the fee package more generous to students.

Liberal Democrat deputy leader Simon Hughes has said "I have a duty to listen to my local party members and my supporters in my constituency, and they have asked me, on this occasion, to rebel against and break the coalition agreement.”

Labour and Conservative leaders clashed angrily over the fees proposals.

David Cameron accused the Labour party of "rank hypocrisy" for opposing the rise in fees, while Ed Miliband said the university plans were in "chaos".

The package of measures would see fees rising to an upper limit of £9,000 per year - with requirements for universities to protect access for poorer students if they charge more than £6,000 per year.

The proposals to raise fees have triggered a wave of student and school pupil protests, with a march last month leading to an attack on the Conservative headquarters in Millbank.

Aaron Porter, president of the National Union of Students, urged MPs to "do the honourable thing and vote down these damaging proposals".